Wonders of Depigmentation
by A Girl Like You
Summary: Peter Bishop concocts a serum that allows him to become temporarily invisible. Season 1 between 1x07 "In Which We Meet Mr. Jones" and 1x10 "Safe". P/O.
1. Desire

Peter Bishop groaned in frustration, staring at the wall. He was sitting upright on the couch, shirtless, only in his light blue briefs. He was unable to close his eyes. He could hear Walter's steady breathing from the room next door. His father was obviously blissfully asleep, travelling through his la-la land and dreaming of cotton candies, Peter thought, smirking in the darkness. Just a few minutes ago he sang him a lullaby in order to calm him down, which has somewhat become their routine lately, and it actually worked like a charm. Peter was wondering when his father turned into his son, and how he ended up as his babysitter in the first place.

He was free to do what he liked. He had a thing going on in Iraq. He could've fixed his life and paid off all of his debts, damn it. And then she barges into his life and all of a sudden he doesn't even know who he is anymore… "Of all the gin joints in all towns in all the world, she walks into mine", he thought sardonically, quoting a hero from his favorite movie out loud… It fit perfectly and unmistakably to his current situation.

He recalled the moment in which their eyes met for the first time. Hers were a deep shade of dark green, serious and decisive. She seemed strong, stable, moral, solid and resolute. He remembered how he couldn't stop gazing at her back then. She looked like a sweet delicate doe, with that alluring curves, slim body and long, perfect legs; her heart-shaped face, pale, soft, lightly freckled skin and those huge, sad, pleading and haunting eyes. While she was speaking, his gaze lowered to her full soft pink, slightly pouty lips and he vividly remembered that she licked them nervously there and then… His stare seemed to unnerve her for some reason.

And his eyes, ever shifting, ever changing, like a sea, sometimes calm and blue, and other times resembling green and disturbed troubled waters… Those were the eyes of Jack of All Trades, the eyes of a person who couldn't be trusted. A gambler, a risk taker, a high school dropout and a con. What kind of help did she hope she could possibly get from him? She should've just left him be, he growled inwardly, tossing and turning on a small couch, looking aimlessly at the ceiling, waiting for dawn.

God, she sounded so desperate that day. Desperate for the life of a man she loved. He felt a pang of jealousy deep inside, wanting her to feel for him what she felt for that lucky bastard John Scott. He did what he did best. He ran away. He rejected her, shielding himself from the entangled emotions and lust that was just starting to bud, from that palpable tension that arose between them practically since the moment they shook hands and made their first eye contact.

And then the impossible and the inexplicable happened-she actually managed to get him on the plane, she played him as a fool. He was forced to accompany her, coerced firstly into going to see his father, and then into actually becoming his legal guardian. A babysitter for a delusional mad scientist, who cooked naked on Tuesdays, danced around the house with nothing but his bath robe and his woolen socks on, sometimes pissed in his pants, spoke gibberish and every now and then longed for licorice and a root beer. An unnecessary complication, a mere obstacle on his life path, an unwanted obligation. And yet here he was, unable to move for so much as an inch. Unable to leave them both.

He smiled to himself remembering how they got off on the wrong foot from the very beginning… She was stern, harsh, and demanding… He was playful, cynical and incredulous. They clashed continuously, and the air around them seemed to be filled with sparks each time they looked at each other. Walter's presence didn't help either, since she was blindly following his advice, advice of a lunatic, even though he, Peter, had tried to convince her otherwise. They constantly bickered. What annoyed him most was that he cared for her. He had just met her, for God's sake, and he already cared so much for her, he was worried seeing the creases on her forehead, seeing the moist forming in her eyes, her desperation… She would do anything for the man she loved; for the man who was about to die and that was exactly what frightened him most. She was actually willing to die for him, if the need be. Peter admired her. He admired her composure and her decisiveness. And he envied John Scott. No woman has ever loved him so devotedly, except his own deceased mother…

Peter had a way with women, that couldn't be denied. He himself was quite handsome (or at least that's what they told him) gentle, kind, charming, and he had a good sense of humor. Women also apparently loved that troublesome bad boy aura he seemed to possess. Above all, he treated them well, and with respect; and they liked it. All those women who passed through his life up till now, however, haven't left a mark on his heart, they were all just temporary adventures he sought mostly in order to satisfy his corporal urges.

And it was indeed very strange and puzzling how these urges seemed to exponentially increase in the presence of a beautiful bossy blonde FBI agent. He scolded himself mentally for being so mesmerized with her. He tried to play it cool so many times when she was in the room. He tried to be sarcastic, to provoke her while verbally sparring… But under all that façade there was only one truth. He wanted her. He wanted her so badly that it hurt. And because of that perverse, impossible desire, he couldn't sleep at night.

Peter recalled exactly how it had all begun. With the tank…

_She actually accepted Walter's idea. To be stripped to her underwear, heavily drugged and placed in a tank full of water. It was incredible to what length she was capable to go to accomplish her objective. He loathed the thought of her being harmed. He was afraid and so he coped with his fear in only way he could, for years. With irony. Only his concerned eyes were dead giveaway of the horror he felt just before she entered in there. He was angry because she made him feel protective of her and that was the last thing he wanted back then. To feel protective of someone. He just wanted to get the hell outta there._

_She strolled into the lab nonchalantly, wearing a white bathrobe. Her lips were a tight line. Her gaze was firm, provoking, daring him to oppose her. Peter then vividly remembered him rolling his eyes at her behavior, and turning away. However, when he turned again to look at her, after having gathered all that they needed… He had the hardest erection of his life. Tiny white lights danced for a moment in front of his eyes and he felt as if his brain was going to explode. She stood there in nothing but her black panties, and her small black bra, practically naked and he shamelessly ogled her for a second without being able to stop himself. Her soft blonde hair was lightly touching her small round shoulders. Peter's gaze then travelled to her beautiful, full and round breasts, her flat, tight stomach and her perfect long legs… Her skin seemed so pale, milky, almost transparent… His eyes were on fire. He went red in face and looked down as fast as he could, feeling like a boy. Olivia truly resembled a goddess. _

_His aroused manhood was throbbing painfully in his jeans. He couldn't stop himself from imagining her soft breasts in his hands, her hardened nipples in his mouth… Her serious and stern expression wiped away from her face, and replaced with an expression of desire… He wanted her legs to wrap around his waist and pull him deep inside of her soft flesh, he wanted her to moan his name in his ear while she was orgasming, again, and again… _

_Peter remembered how he shook his head and focused on the task at hand. He couldn't believe what just happened to him. The last daily fantasy he had happened when he was sixteen… He was imagining Monica Belucci in his bedroom back then. But pretty soon he started having sex regularly and although his sex drive was high, his lovers managed to sate it pretty quickly and quite well. Up till now. He didn't understand what was going on. Hell, he'd just had sex with an attractive tourist in Iraq only two days ago. He met that girl during the day, charmed her by speaking Arabic, and taking her to different places, practically as a local, and then they were at it in the evening, in her hotel room. But this that has just transpired frightened him. He thanked God he was wearing one of his wider jeans so his cock wasn't really all that visible. Averting his look from her alluring body best as he could, he helped her to get into the tank and quickly excused himself. He barely made it to the bathroom, unbuttoned his jeans and quickly relieved himself, stroking and gripping his throbbing member mercilessly until the bliss overwhelmed him. Only seconds after that, he felt so ashamed and he rushed back into the lab and stood right next to Walter and Astrid, scanning the screen with his worried eyes, wondering what was happening in her sub consciousness in that tank…Wondering if she was ever gonna make it outta there alive._

Even now, in the dark, his cheeks were burning as he was remembering it. When she came out of that tank, her pupils dilated, her breathing ragged, gasping for air… He held her in his arms, cradling her safely, burying his nose in her hair, and she was clinging to him, shivering, trembling. Her skin was so slick and wet…


	2. The Plan

That tantalizing skin had haunted him for so many nights in his dreams... Peter soon found out he simply wasn't able to focus on a task at hand anymore. His days were filled with staring at her enticing figure and his nights...

Suffice to say that his twisted brain has played so many scenes with her in his bed, on the floor, in the lab, in her office, in the bathtub and in her apartment that it became a torture for him to fall asleep. Then he would playfully drift to other locations… Like an abandoned cottage in the woods, a deserted island, a broom cupboard where they could accidentally get locked in during the winter and she would have to come to him seeking warmth and comfort…

In those delusional slumbers, Olivia Dunham appeared to him differently each time... Occasionally she would come across as stern and unyielding, but other times she was soft, warm and welcoming, inviting him to plunge into her depth… While he was sleeping, Olivia could be equally shy and bold; an Amazon women who straddled his hips dominantly, a mermaid who drew him at the bottom of the ocean and had his way with him, a damsel in distress whom he would firstly rescue from an imminent danger and then make sweet love with her; an enchantress who would make him succumb to her spells and a sphinx who looked at him with her promising glowing eyes, flashing her beautiful breasts and agreeing to give him her whole body if he could solve the complex riddle of her soul… _My mind has become skilful at imagining all sorts of perversions and different role plays… I could start a porn industry in my head if I wanted to… _Peter said to himself in a disdainful desperate voice, sitting up. Walter snored lightly, muttering indistinguishable numbers while sleeping and Peter glanced at the clock on the small round bedside table. It was four in the morning. And the new case was coming up soon; he would probably have only one or two hours to sleep… No more… But he didn't want to dream… He didn't wish to close his eyes because her image would be burning in front of him, provoking him and making him suffer… She would press her body onto his, making him whole again, temporarily, only to dissipate in thin air when the morning came… Only to leave him empty handed and with an incurable longing in his heart, body and soul.

Peter's obsession with Olivia Dunham started bordering with hate and despair… He needed her and there was no way to make her his. Olivia built a brick wall between them, and he couldn't tear it down no matter how he tried, no matter how he used his wits and his charm, the result would always be the same. Sure, they started off on the wrong foot. He was irritating to her, that much he knew, it was no secret. Every time he'd outwardly flirt with her or lightly brush her hand with his she would jump as if his hand burnt her. She shied away from affection… But there were times it seemed she actually wanted him too… Peter was frustrated, not knowing what to make of it…

Ok. He understood. They've known each other only for a month or two… It was ridiculous to talk about love. Her personality or at least, what he could deduce so far from her behavior, didn't appeal to Peter at all. She was serious, lacking a sense of humor, tomboyish, too moral, determined, driven, almost robotic, mechanized and… Boring. She simply wasn't his type. He liked easy-going, smiling, flirty and relaxed girls who didn't look troubled and full of anguish all the time. Interesting girls who knew how to unwind and how to have fun. Olivia Dunham was not that kind of girl. She had an emotional baggage… She was still thinking about her long dead ex-lover.

Maybe she was afraid of the relationship, afraid of her new boyfriend turning up dead as well. What a person. Too knotty, too tangled… In fact, Peter thought, if someone had asked him what kind of girl he would have never dated, he would have probably described the girl with the exact same characteristics she had.

On the other hand, she didn't love him either, he was certain. Because of the same personality incompatibility reasons-he was goofy, sarcastic, careless bordering with immoral, selfish, egotistic, while she was altruistic. Olivia liked security; she liked to have a base, a place of origin. Peter liked the uncertainty, the challenge of life… He often imagined himself as a wooden raft bashed around by life's current and that was OK, that was fine by him, he loved the thrill, the joy of the ride… He hated spending too much time in one place… And that's exactly what he had been doing lately and it was eating him from inside. Peter was forced to stay, to be part of the Fringe division and to start working with her. They were the complete opposites. _And opposites attract… _So far, he could deduce four similarities he shared with Olivia Dunham. They were both extremely physically attractive, they were intelligent, they had daddy issues and unresolved problems from the childhood and… They were starved for sexual contact. But even if it was too early to talk about affection, or love… It was not early to mention lust. Covetousness existed since they've met… It was there, between them, almost palpable, and it was driving both of them crazy with desire.

No matter how she much she was trying to hide it, he knew… He could smell it on her. He recalled the four cases they've been working together so far… The things he memorized were, maybe, insignificant, but, he was a famous ladies man, a womanizer, and he could feel every vibe she was sending to him, even though she might've been doing it unconsciously…

When she came to pick him and Walter up at the hotel… (and this had happened twice already) She would come late, or early in the morning. Since Peter liked to sleep in nothing but his briefs, he opened a door half-naked… Although her tone of voice was civil, her eyes betrayed her and he secretly enjoyed that glance, knowing she did find him attractive… Those light green orbs traveled quickly to his chest and then returned to his face, but that moment was enough for Peter… Sometimes she would lick her lips near him, or stare at his lips when talking to him, before looking at his eyes… Olivia also appeared to be turned on by the way he played the piano. He would never forget the way Olivia was watching him while he was playing that light jazz melody for her. Her teasing gaze was filled with admiration and curiosity, her mouth slightly parted… (That, of course, led to many fantasies which involved him fucking her hard on a grand piano and it didn't really help.) Olivia enjoyed watching him. She even started to smile when he would crack a joke out of the blue, while she would merely roll her eyes to that before. When he was hurt by the Observer in the woods, he could clearly see how her breath caught, how worried she was about him. She came to see him in the hospital, later, and that was when Peter Bishop had his greatest doubt of them all. He was wounded, bashed, bruised and groggy… He looked lost and confused, like a boy. But he was one hundred percent certain she flirted with him. And she flirted shamelessly, never removing her eyes from his. He was a goner… He decided to stay with her and Walter, but not only so that he could investigate weird Fringe goings-on. Peter also wanted to be near her.

Last week was her birthday. She opened up to him. He found out a sad truth about her childhood. Peter felt awful about it; Peter wanted to help her. So he did. He got the information she needed so badly. And when she came to the hotel to speak with him, to ask him what Nina Sharp wanted in return… While they were sitting on that bench… Her eyes never left his and there was a palpable tension in the air… Peter was cursing himself for not reaching out, for not actually devouring her mouth before she pulled back, breaking the magical moment and getting up, leaving him. He recalled Olivia shuddered unwillingly as he was whispering huskily into her ear and he smiled in the darkness of the hotel room. His presence and his body unnerved her and that was good to know.

Not that she wasn't doing exactly the same to him. As far as the sexual starvation was concerned, he had to admit that she had him wrapped around her finger. He longed to be near her just to see her small smiles, or the way she ran her hand through her silken hair; to stare at her unbuttoned shirt and to check her ass whenever she would leave the lab. She had him reduced to a drooling teenager, with constant wood in his pants. No other girl had ever made him feel like that before. There was something about special agent Olivia Dunham that drove him mad with desire… Like a sum of many little bodily perfections that turn into one glorious whole.

And those were not the only changes. Since he started working with her and Walter he found himself more sensitive, more caring, always willing to help her on her suicide missions and he did not like that. He did not like that at all.

That meant, and he knew it very well, that he was, without being aware of it, trying to make her like him by doing all that stuff for her… Like him as a person. As someone she could have a potential relationship in the future. And Peter wasn't sure if he wanted that. They were mismatched and that was so painfully obvious. If they ever hooked up after dancing around each other for so long, they would probably end up arguing a lot and breaking up even faster. Too incompatible. _Lady and the Tramp syndrome… That's what it was. And I don't want a relationship. At least not now. Not with her. Because if it starts, I have a feeling that it will either end up very, very bad or it will completely transform one of us… And I don't want her to become like me… And I can't be like her, I can't be caring and protective… I've always cared only about myself. I want to keep it that way. No emotions. No strings attached. But, so help me God, I want to have her. I want to take her every day, repeatedly, I want to bury myself in her wet warmth and never crawl out of there… To forget who I am and who I was… Just to feel her… _

It was already five in the morning and Peter, bleary-eyed, desisted from sleeping. This couldn't go on and on forever, and he knew it. Peter Bishop needed a plan. He sat at the table, staring aimlessly through the window… He could hear the people in other rooms slowly stirring in their sleep, rummaging around, flushing the toilet… Someone who lived on the same floor as Walter and him was singing a lullaby… Peter listened to a crying child and to mother's soothing voice. His head was throbbing and he was feeling as if he were run down by a five ton truck. But he knew one thing… If he was going to end this situation and end it fast, he needed to make an effort, he had to think.

And that he did. He focused hard and started analyzing the situation and his starting point.

Olivia was bound to crave sex just as much as he did. She has just come out of a long relationship and she was hooked on it… Special agent John Scott probably banged her often… _The man is hardly to be blamed; I would do exactly the same if I were in his place_. So she had an astonishing sex life and now suddenly… Bam! She has to wean off of that amazing feeling. Peter knew that must be hard for her… However, she obviously wasn't comfortable in the presence of another man… She didn't do casual sex and she didn't actively look for a new sexual partner… Olivia chose to bury her head in her work instead; she dedicated herself completely to Fringe division, ignoring the messages of her body… Peter idly wondered if she masturbated a lot… He imagined that she must have done so at least several times in the past four months… Olivia Dunham was the only person Olivia Dunham was currently comfortable being with. So she was pleasuring herself. It was a simple if-then formula, Peter thought, drawing a plain, logical conclusion. He tried not to dwell for too long on the thought of naked, moaning Olivia, whose body was tingling, longing for release, with her own fingers sliding in and out of her at an ever increasing pace… Maybe… Just maybe… She needed to separate emotions from sex, to detach those two parts of her being… And that was very difficult to accomplish. She was a woman, and women couldn't do that so easily. Peter, for instance, had slept with so many women without loving them, without caring, without feeling anything for them… He wasn't certain about Olivia. She looked like a buttoned-up type of person who couldn't relax and enjoy one-night-stand with a stranger even if her life depended on it. Perhaps she would feel too guilty afterwards. _But maybe that's not all there is… I hardly know her… And she is like a tin can. She won't let me get to know her. She probably feels at ease only when she is alone, at her office, or at her apartment… That's when all the masks fall down and the true Olivia Dunham's face is shown… And getting to know her like that… Grasping the raw essence of who she is… Might just be the key that'll help me to figure out how to make her mine._

But how? He couldn't follow her… Or enter her house. She would see him. Eventually. Maybe he could put a camera in her apartment… _What am I thinking about? _Peter felt like a stalker, like a voyeur… That was not who he was, that was not how he wooed his romantic (wait-strike that) sexual interests. Not before meeting her, anyway. It was enough for him not to shave for three days, to wear a neatly tucked-in blue or green plaid and to grin widely with the boyish smile… Girls would come to him willingly, giggling and blushing and he could do whatever he wanted with them… Peter Bishop abused his good looks a little too often. Of course, he was a gentle, kind lover, and they would never leave his bed insatiated.

Now, good thing about that was that Olivia had also fallen under his spell… He was certain she thought he was… Hot, or at least cute… She simply avoided thinking about him in that way. And that was a bad thing.

What was so wrong about consolation sex? Olivia would enjoy him as much he would enjoy her… It would distract her, she would no longer think of John that often… And she wouldn't think of all the horrible cases they've done so far, they wouldn't haunt her in her sleep.

Was there anything better than two people satisfying each other all night in explosion of ecstasy? Or… Waking up and finding sexy, hot, naked body next to you, and being able to take it over and over… He knew that having sex with Olivia would be an amazing thing for sure, because he could feel the overpowering chemical reaction of their bodies whenever they stood close to each other… Their blood was boiling, but she chose to ignore that. And he had to comply with that choice if he didn't want to look like a fool.

But how? How to approach her? How to hear her most intimate thoughts, how to watch her? Peter almost wished he was an Observer. That sneaky guy who shot him in the woods could most definitely "observe" anyone and anything he wanted to without actually being seen…

He laughed at himself. _You would have to be invisible and inaudible Bishop. If you can pull that one out and become a ghost… _

He froze in mid self-mocking sentence. _Maybe I can_.

After all he had seen in Walter's lab… The things the man had been working on… He distinctly remembered them recovering the electric impulses that were travelling along one of the victims' optical nerve… Peter would've never thought it likely. But they recovered an image of an old bridge and they managed to track down the killer who was removing pituitary glands, trying to remain young as long as possible…

He needed to go to the lab immediately. If he could browse through all of the projects Walter had been working on… There was bound to be one on depigmentation and invisibility, about converting the matter into the pure energy… The government would've probably wanted Walter and William Bell to work on something like that, because it would prove useful in espionage cases… Peter remembered the 1933 movie inspired by H. 's science fiction novel, "The Invisible Man". Things didn't turn out so great for that guy, dr. Jack Griffin was his name, if Peter remembered correctly. He turned violent and the cops shot him in the end. Also, he couldn't find the way to make himself visible again.

_Whoa, boy. Are you sure you wanna dabble in that? What if the process can't be reversed afterwards? What if there are some unwanted side effects? All that to get into Olivia Dunham's panties when you could just walk into the bar and take your pick for the night? You're so pathetic…_

No matter what kind of warning his subconsciousness was shouting at him, he remained deaf and determined to go through with this. _I want HER. The thrill of the chase. That's how it has to be… A mad scientist's son conquers a girl using science. If that fails, at least I can brag about forming a part of Marvel comic universe for a while. I could even come up with a superhero name, like Ghost Whisper or something like that._

Peter got dressed rather quickly, and, stifling a yawn, went into Walter's bedroom.

-Walter! Walter!-he repeated insistently after seeing that his father wasn't waking up.

-Yes, my son?-the mad scientist looked at him sheepishly. –Is there a new case for us?

-No, Walter, luckily, there isn't.

-Oh, Peter, I simply must tell you about the dream I had! You know that cartoon made long ago by Ub Iwerks, _Somewhere in Dreamland? _

-Yeah, what of it?

-Well, I dreamt that I was in Dreamland, and I was on a chocolate merry go-round, and in a popcorn field… And there were strawberry milkshakes with vanilla syrup falling from the sky. Oh, never to wake up again! Did you dream about something nice, Peter?

-That's great, Walter.-Peter avoided answering the old man's question. -Listen, I'm gonna go out for a couple of hours, so I'll tell those nice FBI agents, as you call them, to watch over you while I'm not here. Maybe Astrid can come and play some games with you, I can ask her, if you want. I'll try not to be gone for long.

-I shall await for your return right here, son. But, Peter… Who is Astrid?

Peter rolled his eyes.

-See you later, Walter. Eat something.

The lab was still dark when he got in. Peter went straight into the office and started looking through the yellow, dusty, cobwebbed old files Walter kept in those boxes they managed to salvage from the car two months ago… There were just too many. The one he was looking for was probably in the box labeled "military projects"… There were just too many…. Project "Tin Man", project "Iron Man"… Peter chuckled at the choice of the name… _Next thing I'll find will be project Superman, or Batman, for that matter. _And then he saw it. "THE INVISO-MAN". _Easy-breezy. _Grabbing a cheeseburger he brought from McDonalds and making sure Gene doesn't see him eating it, he sat in the chair and opened the file.

"In order to lessen the remaining body pigment, we have synthetisized and isolated four basic organic compounds, monobenzone, hydroquinone, benoquine and mequinol, that, along with some other reagents trigger a process of depigmentation and invisibility, by transferring the matter into pure energy. The subject injected with the serum becomes completely invisible and insubstantial, and, if focused, the subject will be able to move through thinner solid objects such as doors and windows, but at the same time retaining the possibility to see, speak and hear. The state of invisibility is limited and it can last no longer than one hour. After the time transpires, the subject becomes solid again and his energy materializes again. Long rest and strong alimentation is recommended after every treatment with the serum. RECOMMENDATION: Do not use the concocted serum on the same test subject during more than two months-the energy to matter and the matter to energy constant transformation process causes the undesirable side effects such as general body weakness, weight-loss, uncontrollable tremors and manifestation of behavioral changes: nervousness, violence and aggression when the test subject materializes back to his body's original state."

_Two months… That should be about enough… To do what I was planning to. _

It was around seven in the morning when he started writing a list of all the ingredients he needed to concoct the serum. Peter wanted to make enough for at least 30 dosages, so he carefully calculated the ratio of the compounds that were to be used. Everything he needed was already in the lab. However, the process of brewing was long and complicated, so he had to be very cautious and patient, changing the heating temperature when the recipe required him to and it was almost lunch time when he finished. He glanced at his phone. Five missed calls from Astrid. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to her about Walter, so he simply chose not to pay attention to the ringing sound. It was selfish of him and he knew it, but he needed some time for himself. He needed to feel free, just like he felt when he was on his own, before they put the harness on him.

Peter was grateful that today there was no case to be solved. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and stretched his back. _Seven hours_. _I just hope this will work. _He took out one of the Walter's lab rats and, while whispering "Sorry little guy, this won't hurt too much", he carefully injected him with one drop of the serum he'd just created. In a matter of seconds, the small animal started… Fading away… That would be the most appropriate way to describe it, Peter thought… Its contours were becoming less and less visible and there was suddenly nothing in his hand after one minute. He could feel the animal squirm in his grasp but he couldn't see the rat. Now he just wanted to wait to check how long until the rat became visible again. After one hour and three minutes… Little white body came back to focus. The rat seemed fine, Peter thought. But, as he placed him back in the cage, the rodent began gulping down food and water very quickly, trembling while it did so… Peter cringed inwardly. Did he really want to do this to himself?

His phone rang again and he jumped, caught inadvertently. It was Olivia. And he couldn't ignore her.

-Hey-he whispered tiredly.

-Hi! What's up? You sound exhausted-Olivia asked nervously.

-It's nothing. Do we have another case on our hands?

-Nope. No case. Astrid called me. She and Walter were worried… They didn't know where you were, you weren't answering your phone… And I remembered you telling me you don't do well in one place… And your plans to leave, just a couple of weeks ago… So Walter was afraid you are going to abandon him, he's crying in your hotel room. Where are you, Peter?

Olivia's voice seemed tense and he was secretly pleased.

-At the airport. I'm heading back to Iraq.

-Peter…-she whispered. –You…. You didn't tell us… Why? Why leave so abruptly?

-That was for the best, trust me, Olivia-Peter took pleasure in listening to her slightly sad voice and torturing her.

-But what about your father? Haven't you thought of him? That was so cruel, Peter, I can't even bring myself to…

-Olivia-he interrupted her. –I'm not at the airport. It was a joke. And I told Walter I will be back in a couple of hours, so he probably forgot that and started panicking. I'm in Boston. I just needed some time to myself, that's all. Can't a guy have his day outing?

-Peter!-she sounded angry and he chuckled.

-I really got you there, didn't I, sweetheart?

However, she appeared to have recovered rather quickly from the shock.

-What do I tell them?-Olivia asked in her metallic, even voice. –When will you get back?

-In an hour or two. Tell Astrid to order some Chinese food, I'm starving. Wanna come join us?

-Um… No. Thanks, Peter… I… I think I'm gonna stay and rest at home for a while…

-Ok-he tried not to sound too disappointed. After all… Very soon… He was going to be able to see what she was doing when she was home alone… What did she think about… Did she talk to herself? To John? What did she like to eat? Did she sleepwalk or… Talk in her sleep? And how did Olivia Dunham look in the shower?

Before leaving the lab, he opened all the windows and washed all the recipients he used to make a serum… Then he dropped by the pharmacy, replenishing the stock of the ingredients he had used. Afterwards, Peter hid the recently concocted serum along with several syringes, in the back room of the lab where no one used to enter; finally, he headed to the hotel.

_Tonight… Tonight I am going to try it for the first time._

When Peter entered the hotel room, carrying three strawberry milkshakes with chocolate syrup and a huge bag of popcorn, Walter ran over to hug him as if he were his child and not the other way around.

-I'm back! And I brought a dessert from your dreams and some popcorn… We can watch a movie later…-Walter nearly brought him down on the floor. –Whoa, Walter… Down, boy! Walter…-he said laughing and shaking his head. –I'm here.

-Peter, my son… I thought you left me…

Peter lowered his head, swallowing hard, not knowing what to say. –Come on, Walter, you know I wouldn't do that. At least not without telling you beforehand. Hey, Astrid.

She pointedly ignored him. Walter carried the bag with milkshakes and popcorn to the kitchen, humming happily.

-OK, I'm sorry for not answering the phone… I just… Had to do something. It was urgent…And…

It was a lame excuse and he knew it. He owed her one. Big one.

-I bought you a milkshake too. Would you like to stay with us and watch a movie?

-No, Peter. I would like to go home now.-she replied tiredly and icily and he couldn't blame her. After all, she spent seven hours with Walter and that would turn even the kindest person into a grumpy old hag.

-I understand. You can go now, Astrid, I'll take care of Walter. I'm really, really sorry. I apologize-he carefully placed a hand on her small shoulder and smiled widely, looking her straight in the eyes. That normally worked with all girls. Astrid frowned, and then she merely nodded and headed for the door. Just as she was about to leave, she turned around and said:

-Do you care for anyone except for yourself, Peter?

It was like a slap in the face and he knew he deserved it.

Later that afternoon, after having eaten, he and Walter fell asleep together on the sofa. Peter was exhausted. He didn't sleep all night and he worked on the serum during the day. When he finally opened his eyes, it was pitch dark. His phone informed him it was ten o' clock p.m.

Peter stood up abruptly and turned on the lamp. Walter didn't even stir. Feeling guilty for deciding to go out again, Peter wrote him a note.

_Will be back by midnight. Take care. Don't leave the room. _

_Peter._

It was freezing out there. He started the car and stopped by a diner to buy some food and drinks. He knew he was going to need them right after the serum loses its effectiveness. Then he drove to Harvard in silence. He took one dosage of serum and filled the syringe. Peter was certain he should definitely inject himself in front of her apartment. That way he would have more time to watch her.

The light was burning in her window. That meant she was home. His heart jumped a little… He came out of the car, leaving his coat and his scarf inside the vehicle. Then Peter hid behind a tree and took a deep breath, rolling his sleeve up. Seconds before actually doing it he rolled his eyes and said to the darkness: "Too bad there is no such thing as an Invisibility Cloak".

As he injected himself with the transparent serum, he shivered, feeling dizzy. He watched in amazement as his body and all the clothes he was wearing started to look less… Real. Less sharp and paler… In a matter of seconds, he couldn't see himself anymore. It was a frightening, and yet an exciting experience. His wristwatch was showing 00.59.10 and after the initial shock had passed, he moved towards her building.

It was hard for Peter to get used to this new form… He seemed so much lighter to himself, like the man on the surface of the Moon… He had a feeling that if he didn't focus really hard on walking, he was going to float away somewhere, like a helpless balloon.

Peter entered the building quickly right behind some old man with a bag of groceries. _A late night visit to the supermarket… _

He stood in front of her door, listening hard. He could hear soft, catchy melody coming out from her living room. She was listening to… "Satin Soul"… Peter recognized the instrumental and widened his eyes… _No way. Olivia Dunham, the Iron Lady, is into Barry White? _

That fact alone made him feel strange. _This isn't right. I can't. I shouldn't intrude in her life like this. And what if she notices something, what if she catches me? She would never forgive me this._

But his bodily urges eventually prevailed and, focusing on the door with all his might, he took a step forward. An uncomfortable feeling overwhelmed him, as he felt disassembled and reassembled in a matter of seconds. _And that's probably exactly what happened. _

Peter Bishop took another deep breath.

_That's it. I'm in._


	3. The Apartment

**Hi guys, I am finally **_**reviving **_**this fic since it's the only one I have left unfinished of all of them I've written so far... Not sure how good it's gonna be since I haven't touched it in months and the ideas are still a bit disconnected and randomly scattered in my mind. **

**One thing I can tell you for certain is that every chapter should be incredibly voyeuristic and smutty, that's the initial plan (I'm talking about the extremely graphical smut here) and pretty much plot poor ( which is normally not how I like to write but there you have it, it's just that kind of story). **

**There will also be some violent scenes and drastic changes in behaviour of our favorite heroes... So if you are not up for it, don't dive in, it might be difficult to get through it... M. Rating. For. A. Reason. Through and through.**

**So, anyway. Tell me what you think and how you feel about the fact that I'm continuing this after such a long time. Opinions and comments are welcome. Happy reading.**

**PETER **felt nauseous as the bile rose in his throat.

_Crap. I feel like I've just fallen out of a washing machine. Apparently, passing through solid matter takes a toll on one's body. Now. To find Olivia. _

His tall, lithe figure padded cautiously and quietly through her living room. It was the first time Peter had ever entered Olivia's apartment so he wanted to take in his surroundings, to memorize the plan of his soon-to-be battleground.

_Nothing special. Neat and tidy. Boring. Just like her, really._

He didn't pay too much attention to details, color and decor.

_Plenty of time for that later. Step by step. _

He did memorize she had an enormous collection of Barry White CD's on the shelves next to her television set.

_Hello, useful info. So it's not just "Satin Soul" she likes. _

Peter then turned right and walked into the kitchen on the tips of his toes, listening hard and holding his breath, just in case she was in there preparing a late night snack.

_The last thing I need now is to collide with her. I've gotta be extra careful._

The kitchen was pristine white, clean and everything seemed to be in its place.

_Yawn. You are so predictable, Olivia. Seeing how everything is clean and tidy, she probably doesn't have a pet. There would be dog and cat hairs all around her apartment. Not to mention that the dog would be on to me in no time. Animals can sense that kind of things. Invisible threats. And that's certainly what I am._

However, his gaze fell on a wooden cage hanging from the kitchen wall next, and Peter mockingly snorted in surprise after having discovered a slumbering yellow parakeet inside.

_She has a bird. That's perfect. Well, I guess that's a better and wiser choice than turning herself into the old cat lady from The Simpsons._

He went out of the kitchen rather fast because he wanted to rapidly get acquainted with the rest of her living space, glancing nervously at the clock above the kitchen sink.

_Fifty more minutes._

Although, Peter admitted to himself that, for a second, he was slightly tempted to open up the fridge and see what the hell Olivia Dunham ate.

_It's probably empty anyway. I never see her eat anything. I swear, it's like she's not ingesting any food at all. Next time I visit, I definitely have to check that out._

The bathroom door was closed and no sound was coming out of there, so he imagined she must be in her bedroom.

Just as Peter was going to take a turn into the tiny hallway that probably led there, Olivia emerged from her room, practically running towards the kitchen, and he had to glue himself on to the wall to avoid their collision.

_Whew. That was close._

-Sorry to keep you waiting-her voice was warm and tender and Peter peeked out from the hallway and into the kitchen.

_Who is she talking to? Is there another invisible guy at her place?-_Peter smiled widely. _How cool would that be? Two stalkers. Poor Agent Dunham… It's hard to be a hot celebrity._

Peter cautiously entered the kitchen once more, ready to bolt out if the need be. He was just in time to see her gently open the cage door and take the bird out. The budgie was apparently quite comfortable with her touch as it nested on her shoulder, gently biting her earlobe.

-Who's a good boy? How is my Lemondrop tonight?

Peter almost laughed his head off after having heard the name but he stopped himself on time, placing his palm on his mouth.

_Lemondrop! Just… Too… Funny._

-Sorry I couldn't come home and feed you sooner. I was writing a big, important report in the FBI office for my scary demanding boss-Olivia cooed at the bird, which was now nibbling on her lip as if kissing her and Peter took a moment to fully appraise and enjoy that scene.

_Talking to the animals and complaining to them is not a good sign, Olivia. Be careful or you'll soon become crazier than Walter has ever been_-Peter thought, amused.

After she had fed the bird and returned her to the cage, Olivia went to her bedroom once more, closing the door behind her. Peter decided to stand in the living room and wait for her to come out of there.

He didn't have to wait for long. Five minutes later, she was out, loosely wrapped in a soft short olive green towel that didn't leave much to imagination and his jaw almost fell off as Peter was expertly taking in all her bodily features.

_Holy… Shit. I got more than I bargained for. Let's count all the positives. And a one, and a two, and a three and a four: flat stomach, thin waist, big perky boobs, medium B cup, if I had to guess. Nice wide hips. Classic hourglass figure. If we add sleek blonde hair, light green eyes, pale skin and those juicy cock-sucking lips to the combo, we have a winner. Das Model. Why the hell is she hiding this gorgeous body from the rest of the world? A total waste of material. _

Curiosity overtook him as he followed her to the bathroom, extremely glad she didn't close the door all the way.

Peter licked his lips and swallowed as she slowly let the towel slid down on to the floor and as he got a good look of her nicely heart-shaped butt and her long curvaceous legs.

_I totally need to hit that. I want to bang Agent Olivia Dunham and bang her hard._

He felt a gentle but persistent stirring below his waist, as his dick rubbed against his clothes, giving him nice, tingly sensation and slowly filling his jeans up and out, stretching and pointing in Olivia's direction. His brain stopped working.

_Say hello to cucumber in the pants. He knows what he wants._

When she entered under the shower, Olivia turned around and leisurely let her hair loose from the ponytail with a deep sigh, obviously relaxing after the long working day.

She looked in his direction, towards the bathroom door, and Peter felt a strange desire to hide and run away, even though he knew he was invisible and that she couldn't possibly see him. He took a deep breath reminding himself of that fact and he stood his ground. He drooled at the sight of her neatly trimmed venus mound.

_The landing strip. Hot choice. Didn't figure her for the type. Thought she would go au naturel or full Brazilian. It's nice to see she's tending to her lady garden even though she's single. The landing strip is the most difficult one out there, it's time consuming, painful, and it's really hard to get the shape just right, or that's what my ex girlfriends used to tell me. Well, I guess Olivia is a perfectionist. Many women let themselves go when they don't have a partner. _

Peter just couldn't stop staring at her body, idly wondering how tight Olivia was since she definitely didn't have sex during the last couple of months and barely successfully resisting the need to join her under the shower.

_And that's how you turn into a Peeping Tom, ladies and gentlemen. At this point I am actually just envying the water that's touching her skin._

When Olivia came out under the shower, ten minutes later, and went stark naked towards her bedroom, Peter's legs followed her on their own accord.

He quietly leaned on her bedroom door and watched her as she sat on the bed, her hair now wrapped in that same olive green towel, her body still warm and wet from the shower. She still wasn't reaching for her underwear.

For some reason, she looked sad and pensive and Peter thought he might have a pretty good idea why.

A sour smile appeared on his face when his doubt was confirmed, as she whispered to an empty, dark room:

-John.

Peter could see a tear slide down Olivia's cheek and he frowned and fidgeted uncomfortably, looking away.

_Oh, come on, Dunham. Get over him already, will ya? Let the bygones be the bygones. So stupid of her, drowning her present possibilities by wasting her time on past memories_-Peter thought but then he froze in spot staring at her hand which traveled below her waist as she spread her legs, moving into a more comfortable, lying posture on the huge double bed.

Peter almost forgot how to breathe, staring down at Olivia's shaven lips, mesmerized by the way she effortlessly slid her two fingers inside her pussy. He watched them slipping in and out as her juices were coming with them. Olivia's other hand was rubbing her clit slowly, as her beautiful bud was revealed to his eyes. Faster and faster she went, as the lust built stronger within her and Peter's fingers instinctively unbuttoned his jeans as his left hand spontaneously slid inside and pulled his cock out.

_So this is how she relaxes after work. Damn it, I would ravish her on this bed right now._

But he didn't. Peter simply wrapped his hand around his shaft and started stroking it slowly, gradually building the rhythm, much as Olivia had been doing, adjusting it to hers, but biting hard on his lips, muffling any sound that might come from them.

Sweet moans and "Oh yes" heated exclamations that were coming from Olivia's direction were a total turn on for him.

Peter could see more and more juices flowing out of her as Olivia's fingers went rubbing and sliding in and out faster. Her clit was now swollen, her lips engorged with blood and Peter knew she was close.

_I wonder if she's imagining a tongue between her legs, licking and sucking at her. _

Olivia kept going and Peter bit on his right hand hard, as she came and as he recognized the orgasm rushing over her, watching her thick, copious juices leak out.

Her muscles were contracting, tightening and then releasing, her fingers covered in creamy whiteness.

Olivia was panting slightly, as if trying to catch her breath.

Peter's massive bulge was hard as a rock and now it was painfully throbbing between his legs. He watched Olivia stand up, her legs quivering as a result of recent delight, as she was trying to maintain the balance. Her face was red and her body seemed overheated but she was actually smiling at her accomplishment.

_Kinky-_Peter thought, seeing Olivia in a whole new light. _Too bad the show is over._

But instead of pulling out a hair dryer from her drawers, as Peter had expected, she pulled out a vibrator and that was when he blessed the invisibility serum, not believing his luck.

Olivia turned it on and the buzzing of powerful vibrations was heard, as she ran it up her thighs, slowly, but persistently, moving it closer to her clit and finally placing it there, letting out a loud, stifled moan as it obviously hit the right spot, and then rubbing faster and faster, increasing the power to the maximum.

The sheets below her, into which her fingers were entangles, were completely soaked and the room smelled entirely of Olivia.

_Once wasn't enough for Olivia, I guess, so she immediately went for second helping. Good to know-_Peter smiled eying her hungrily as his nostrils widened inhaling her scent.

_She's incredibly sexy like this. I would soo jump in and lend her a hand-_he sneered at his own inventive wordplay.

Peter's hand leisurely continued its activities in his jeans, having increased the speed and the intensity of strokes as he was guiding himself towards an inevitable climax, mimicking her movements and her tempo.

They both came at the same time and his seed squirted all over his briefs, completely filling and staining the interior of his jeans.

Peter took several steps backwards as a precaution, worried Olivia might feel the smell of his cum.

_Dang. And I don't even know if I have a spare pair of pants at hotel for work tomorrow. _

His eyes fell on wristwatch and he almost swore out loud.

_Only ten minutes left!_

Olivia, apparently, couldn't keep still. She was now slowly guiding the shaft of the vibrator inside her with a groan, as her beautiful legs were wrapping possessively around it.

Peter felt his cock became half-hard again at that sight, even though he came less than a minute ago and his eyes were glued on to her nude perfect body once again.

_I could watch her pleasure herself all day. Damn, Bishop, come on, pull yourself together and get out. _

That was exactly what he did, followed by her erotic sighs as he passed through Olivia's apartment door, once again experiencing the terrible discomfort.

He reached his car and carefully glanced around. It was almost half past eleven p.m. and there was no one to be seen near him.

Peter firmly decided not to go into his car by passing through the car door.

_Twice was quite enough, thank you very much. _

He fumbled for the keys in his jeans pockets and entered the car seconds later.

He found a Kleenex and cleaned his crotch the best he could, and then he grabbed wet tissues and thoroughly wiped his hands.

There were three more minutes left until he became visible again and Peter's thoughts subconsciously went to Olivia.

_Pathetic life she's leading. Flicking her bean on her own, having a solo hip hop performance with Jack Rabbit and then probably falling asleep in tears with John Scott's name on her lips. How could she possibly be so dumb and linger on someone who's long gone instead of…_-for one second, Peter thought what it would be like if Olivia were actually interested in him instead of that traitor she still called her partner.

_Or not, whatever, I don't care about that. It could be any other guy. I already have enough trouble in my life as it is to add a relationship with my boss on top of them. I just want to fuck her and nothing else, but… I dunno, she should really try going out, dancing, meeting new people. Not it's like any of my business_-Peter tried to assure himself it didn't matter to him what Olivia did with her life and it actually worked.

_But, one thing's certain. Olivia urgently needs a decent hot beef injection. And I think I can help her there_-a smirk appeared on his face but a frown replaced it, after he realized he didn't know how to perform his plan in "real life".

_God, if only she didn't appear so buttoned up. Friends with benefits… An awesome combination. If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it, but I was right. She craves sex so much. And she does masturbate a lot. And… She has a high libido just like me. I think we'd set her bed on fire with our combined efforts._

_But noo… She has to sate her perverted desire and her hunger on her own, and then come into the lab like a perfectly innocent, hard working young woman, feigning complete disinterest in sex and rolling her eyes to Walter's insinuations and perverted comments. Little Miss Hypocrite. _

_Oh well, at least I got some useful information. I'm gonna try and play some Barry White tomorrow in the lab and start talking about animals with her. I could say I am fond of birds and that I feed sparrows who come to the window sill of our hotel room every morning, which wouldn't be far from truth, and then Olivia will probably mention Lemondrop-_Peter sniggered again.

_Let's see if that eases her into conversation. Then… Who knows… Step by step… I just want her to gradually begin to see the positive side of casual sex and one night stands._

The alarm on his wrist watch went off, beeping loudly and Peter suddenly saw that his hands on the wheel were slowly materializing and coming back into focus.

_Now you see me. Now you don't. How cool is that?_

Self-satisfied grin on his face instantly faded away as his head promptly exploded with pain Peter had never experienced before in his entire life and he barely managed to suppress a scream. His body twitched and his stomach rumbled unpleasantly.

Peter could do nothing but obey his bodily urges: he dug into the paper bags filled with fast food he had previously bought, rapidly swallowing large chunks of hamburgers and fried potatoes, almost choking on them, as icy fear was running through his veins.

_The… The prospect said that the painful side effects were a must after some time, but in my case… They… They have begun immediately, just after the first injection. Shit. Shit. Shit. What the hell is happening to me?_


	4. The Parasite

**PETER **willed himself to calm down. He had been breathing deeply for almost quarter of an hour already. The migraine wasn't leaving.

He felt as though thousand hammers were banging inside his head, determined to squeeze his brain out. He couldn't think coherently.

_At least I'm not hungry anymore. But… I shouldn't drive right now. Even if it's only a 15-minute drive to the hotel… It could be risky._

Peter waited in the car until the nausea and the headache slightly released their grip on him. He sighed in relief.

The drive back to the hotel was short but he needed every ounce of concentration in order not to sway his vehicle off of a road.

He barely climbed the stairs. He was incredibly tired. He turned the door handle and switched on the lamp.

_The pain passed. The after effects were probably just temporary, like with the lab rat I tried the serum on._

Then Peter yelped in surprise.

Walter was sitting in the chair next to the bed, completely naked and looking at him with worry and relief.

-Walter, what the hell? What are you doing sitting there in the middle of the night, naked?

-Waiting for you-the mad scientist dangled a torn piece of paper in front of Peter's face, standing up and Peter raised his palm defensively.

-Okay, I really don't need a full shot of your genitalia right now, get it? Go put something on.

-I prefer the breeze. You said you'd be back home by midnight.

Peter got a sudden desire to hit him.

_He is so irritating. As if I were the one who needs babysitting, not him. And why does he care where I've been anyway? My life, my business._

-Yeah, so it's quarter past midnight. Let me explain something to you, Walter. I didn't accept to stay here with you and agreed to our living arrangements just so that you could control my life. This afternoon, since there were no new cases, I went for a stroll and you started panicking and bugging Astrid, only to jump on me as a happy pet when I returned to the hotel room.

-Where I've been for the past 17 years is a mental institution.

-Well I'm the one who got you out of there, remember?

-I know, son. Sometimes I still wake up and think… That you'll leave me and that I'll have to come back to that dreadful place. My mind would then start playing tricks on me again-Walter said ominously, staring at the wall, pensive.

Peter swallowed.

_Okay, so maybe I was a little harsh on him._

-Look, Walter… Let's just forget about that. I'm here now and…-he stifled a yawn. –I really wanna get some sleep. So hop into bed, I'll take a quick shower, lie on the sofa, you'll get your nightly dosage of "Row, row, row your boat" and everyone is happy.

-You don't look too good.

-Partying for the win-his reply was short.

-And you smell of sperm.

-Okay, that's enough. Mind your own business. It's late. Would you please stand up and go to bed?

-Did you have sex tonight, Peter?

-No, I did not have sex tonight, Walter-he practically growled at his father.

_That pulsating in my head again. I can't…I wish he would just shut up. I should have never stayed in Boston in the first place. Walter was never my responsibility to begin with. He is a goddamned parasite._

His cell phone rang loudly.

-What now?-he swore out loud and took the call. –This is Peter Bishop.

-Peter-Olivia's voice was on the other end of the line.

-Hey-he replied in a gentle tone, as he willed himself to actually sound normal. –What's up?

_Finished masturbating, didn't you, sweetheart? It's a good thing she didn't call me while I was at her apartment. What a mess that would be. I must be careful from now on, to put my cell phone on silent when I visit her place as an Inviso-man. _

-I need you to come to Boston General. And bring your father with you.

Every limb in Peter's body ached for sleep.

-Right now?

-Yeah. You need to be here as fast as you can.

-Fine-he barked into the phone.

-Is there something wrong?

_No, doll, it's just the sound of my head exploding._

-I was just gonna go to bed but… Whatever.

-This is really urgent. You know I wouldn't have called you if that hadn't been the case.

_Always so damned polite, aren't you, Olivia? So good, kind, full of understanding and overall perfect. Man can't even get angry with you. _

Everyone and everything irritated him. He just wanted the renewed buzzing in his head to stop and to… To shut down his operational system.

-I get it. We'll be there in thirty-he hung up and groaned. –Walter. Get dressed. Apparently, there's something you need to see. And I need to drive you to that something. I'm gonna take a quick shower and change.

-Your pants aren't dry yet. I've done the laundry just this morning.

_Fuck._

-I'll just put a tracksuit on, then. Whatever.

**OLIVIA **suppressed a smile at the sight of disoriented but excited Walter and sleepy, annoyed Peter in a light grey tracksuit. Broyles merely lifted his eyebrows.

Peter, on the other hand, sizing her up leisurely as usual, took in her slightly flushed cheeks and parted lips and thought she looked like she'd just had sex.

_Which she technically did, only with herself. A bonus point for me. I've learned to recognize "that look" in Olivia Dunham. Now I guess I'll always know when she has played a little game with her lower regions._

-Yes, in case you were wondering, I was just jogging in the park at 1 a.m.-he sourly spoke first before they could ask him anything about his unusual work outfit. -So where is this newest horrific horror Walter needs to see?

He was barely focusing on Broyles's explanation but he did understand the essence. His BFF Michel Loeb collapsed on his office floor in the middle of conversation about the guy's undercover operation in Frankfurt and when they opened him up, they found a tiny hungry monster merrily squeezing his heart. And that organism, apparently, whatever it was, it had already made itself comfortable in Michel Loeb's chest and it didn't seem all too keen on leaving.

Peter was more than happy to let Walter draw his typical insane adoring conclusions about the imposter, and to simply nod his head.

He noticed Olivia was watching him with a mixture of puzzlement and worry and he frowned.

_What? Can't a guy have a lousy day? It's like a bad hair day for girls. I am having an equivalent over here: a bad head day._

To make matters worse for Peter, Samantha Loeb, Loeb's wife, was there as well and she was either sobbing loudly or squealing with that high-pitched annoying tone of her voice.

Peter longed to be back in the laboratory, alone with Loeb's body, to joke around with Astrid and even to handle Walter's weird comments.

Anything but standing there in the hospital lobby and being exposed to all that infernal noise.

He swayed a little and then leaned against the wall for the support, closing his eyes.

_Uh-oh. Not good. Damn it, I hope these side effects will stop soon. I… I made thirty dosages of the serum… I'd hate to see it all go to waste before I can fulfill my plan._

-Peter-Olivia's tender voice filled in the space around him and he found it strangely soothing. –Are you all right?

-I'm good, I'm just… A little sluggish, that's all. And there is that weird migraine coming up my way. Hey, I'm not complaining. I could have a lovely little pet in my chest trying to devour my heart, like that poor Loeb guy on the operation table-he tried to shrug her off with a casual comment.

Olivia gave him an apprehensive look and then she nodded briefly, acknowledging his explanation.

-Do you want an aspirin?

-No, Olivia, I… I told you already, I'm gonna be fine. Just… I need some time to myself and… I'll be good as new in an hour or so.

_Wish she would stop doting on me. I can take perfect care of myself. Always have. Always will. Rover, wanderer, call me what you will. "Don't know that I will, but until, I can find me, the girl who'll stay, and won't play games behind me. I'll be what I am, a solitary man, a solitary man" Johnny Cash for the win_-he managed a small smile.

-Did I hear mention of my good faithful helper Aspirin? Too bad she hasn't come with us to the hospital… She would have learned a lot about this marvelous organism. And she could have brought me come mints-Walter came over to them.

_Trotting like an excited horse before the big run on the hippodrome. Waiting for his sugar cubes… Of all the possible choices in the world, I was precisely the one to get stuck with a guy like this for my father._

Peter rolled his eyes without bothering to reply to that question.

-Ok. Fun time's over. Walter, let's go to the lab. Aspirin will be waiting for us there and you can play with her as much as you want.

**ONCE **Loeb's body was safely transported to their working space, Walter started to analyze the molecular structure of the parasite, in order to determine whether it had been natural or man-made, although it was obvious it was artificial, at least to Peter.

Luckily, the pain had subsided and he was just fumbling through Walter's old records in order to find something by Barry White and play it on his ancient turntable when he heard Olivia talking to Samantha Loeb.

He glanced in Olivia's general direction, getting a perfect view of her graceful elongated neck.

_To have the right to come behind her and… Bite that neckline… Leave hickeys all over it… And make her sigh when she feels me near… _

Peter finally found the record he was looking for and the song "Playing Your Game" was heard just as Samantha Loeb was leaving in tears.

_Would have been too untactful of me to start playing it while she was still here, wouldn't it?_

His eyes widened when he saw the image of perfectly shaped breasts among Walter's old records.

_Would you look at that. Hiding a porn collection between the music records. And a good one at that._

Peter pulled out some magazines and stared at them.

_These are quite recent, actually. When did he have time to buy all these?_

_-_Peter, Walter says he needs you to help him with the transfusion-Astrid approached him from behind and he jumped up, caught unawares. Her tone of voice was civil and cold and Peter understood she was still angry at him for leaving her alone with his crazy parent yesterday morning.

She blushed after having seen what he was holding in his hands.

-Okay, I'm just gonna pretend I haven't seen those.

-You do that.

-Peter, no!-Walter screamed, approaching him at the speed of light. –You'll ruin them! I had them all perfectly lined up and now I won't know which one to take next when I go to the bathroom.

-Relax. I pulled out Jesse Jane. She was just next to Jenna Jameson. See? I'll return her there and…No harm done. Good choice, by the way. Hot blonds. My kind of gals.-Peter smirked.

-Men-Astrid went to stand next to Loeb's body, thoroughly disgusted.

-Leave it to my son to wreck everything I order-Walter was mumbling, now browsing through the rest of the magazines when Olivia approached them.

-I thought you said you were supposed to give transfusion to Michel Loeb-she stopped in mid-sentence when her eyes fell on the photos of explicitly nude female bodies. –I'm sorry. What exactly do you think you're doing, both of you?

-Agent Dunham… My son here… Has ruined the perfect alphabetical order of my compilation…

-Walter, I…-Peter saw Olivia didn't know where to look. –I need you focused immediately. This man's life is in terrible danger and you know that.

-Come on, Agent Dunham. Don't be shy. Don't tell me you've never seen Jesse Jane's breasts. I've found her quite alluring since I came out from the mental institution and since I had some time to catch up. Porn culture is an important part of young adult's life. Well, of everyone's lives, really.

Olivia didn't say a word, she simply sighed deeply and moved over to stand by Astrid. Peter went to her immediately, and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, enjoying the smell of her skin:

-What did Samantha Loeb say?

-She's devastated.

-I can imagine-Peter was playing a role of sympathetic character, nodding vigorously.

-She would do anything to help him but she feels frustrated she actually doesn't have a say. She… She can't contribute in any way. It was different for me when… When John's life was endangered-Peter bit on his upper lip and fidgeted at the mention of John Scott's name.

-I could actively participate in his rescue along with Walter and you. But Samantha… The only thing she can do is wait. And you know when you can just see it in her eyes…. She would die for him. God, such love-Olivia sighed.

_We are feeling romantic and sentimental today, aren't we Olivia?_-Peter thought. _Maybe you should start looking for that special guy who would love and cherish you and please you in all ways instead of relating every situation with damnable Agent John Scott… _

_I swear it, if… If… Like we were just crossing the street now, Olivia would say: Oh… I remember that time when John and I were crossing the street and talking about this and that… It's like everything reminds her of him. Not healthy, honey. Not healthy at all._

Then Peter gave her his best apologetic smile, changing the subject.

-About Walter. It's actually my fault. We'll be back to work in no time. The funny thing was… I was looking through some records. I wanted to play a song in particular and I stumbled upon this nest of debauchery. Walter let out a cry of protest and… Well… You know what happened next.

-A song?-that was when Olivia became aware of the music that resounded around the laboratory. –What kind of person are you, Peter? A man is dying and… You want to listen to music?

-Music is actually very beneficial, Agent Dunham-Walter defended Peter, coming from behind. –It helps me focus and process information faster.

-What is it, Olivia? Don't you like Barry White?-Peter leaned towards her again, this time with a seductive smirk, expecting a praise for his musical choice.

-Whether I like the song or the singer has nothing to do with it, Peter! Please focus on the work you have to do-he could see Olivia's cheeks reddened.

_So she got angry and turned into the Incredible Hulk-livia. Crap. She didn't even notice I played the song from her favorite singer. And that is how you waste a wooing chance._

Peter started towards Loeb's body wordlessly, fuming inside.

_I'll see how you'll react when I throw you under me and take you hard… Will you be so uppity then, Olivia Dunham? Maybe a good fuck would make you stop bitching around. Penis bonus pax in domus… A payback time will come, darling… And I am a patient man. _

**COUPLE **of hardworking hours later, when Walter ultimately discovered the strange repeating pattern in the parasite's DNA and as soon as Olivia related it to the name of the ZFT organization she previously heard of while going through the John Scott's old files she found in the basement, Peter frowned after having realized she was urgently flying for Germany next morning.

He leaned on the doorframe just before she was leaving the lab thus stopping her from exiting immediately.

-Peter, I… I really don't have time right now. I have to pack my bag and…

-When will you be back?

She squirmed under that questioning, inspecting, intense stare.

-I… I don't know, I truly can't tell. When I find the information I need about the antidote from David Robert Jones, I suppose. We'll be in touch. I'll call you when I make some progress.

-Where are you going to stay?

_Ok, Bishop. Why do I care about this so much? Maybe because I was hoping I would be able to make more progress with her… She's interrupting my wooing pattern by leaving so unexpectedly and abruptly for an undetermined period of time._

_-_At the hotel… Or… Maybe at my friend's place.

-You have a friend in Frankfurt?

-Yeah… He is going to help me to get into Jones's prison cell-she replied shortly, still politely but persistently trying to push her way past him.

Peter realized, observing her body language and the way her eyes avoided his, that the person she was talking about was or used to be probably more than just a friend.

_I need to find out who that is._

-Okay. Have a good night then.

-You too. And… Peter?

-Yeah?-he replied with a casual question.

Peter was rooted on the spot when Olivia's hand found his and squeezed it amicably. A small jolt of electricity ran through both of them, startling Olivia a bit and making her cheeks redden.

_Law of the universe at work, Dunham… Chemical reaction. A fatal attraction. And I know you felt it too. Some guys, like me, are just saucy and exude sexual energy._

-I hope you are feeling better. I am sorry about today. I was just so nervous… Simply… Seeing that much pain and suffering… And… People's lives in an imminent danger… It kind of made me irritated. I know Walter and you always do a great job. We discovered the DNA pattern and its connection to the ZFT organization only thanks to the two of you… And not to mention how you managed to make the parasite constrict less around Loeb's heart. That was a really clever idea. The case wouldn't have progressed without you two. Thank you so much.

Peter sensed warmth around his heart and he mocked himself inwardly.

_Awww what's the matter, Bishop? You're gonna blush now? Is tiger gonna become a little kitty cat because of one praise of your iron maiden lady boss?_

-Please tell Walter that as well, when you get the chance.

-Will do.

-Bye-she smiled a bit nervously, running her fingers through her hair and Peter caught himself subconsciously following her every move.

-Hasta luego-he grinned at her. –Or shall I say: Bis Gleich.

Olivia threw him a casual smile over her shoulder and went out through the door.

_Actually, see you in a bit, Dunham. Another visit to your place is in order. I wanna say proper goodbye to you. _

**AFTER **he made sure Walter was sound asleep, Peter repeated his last night's actions, though he had to wait longer before he could sneak out of their hotel room.

_I just don't want him to ask me any unpleasant questions later. Or to wait for me stark naked, for that matter. As for the side effects… They last an hour anyway. I'll manage it. Or I just might start taking aspirins like Olivia suggested in the first place. It should neutralize the headache. _

It was already midnight when he found himself in Olivia's kitchen. The only sound in the entire apartment was coming from her bedroom. He realized she was on the phone. He opened her fridge and cast a quick curious glance inside.

_I was right about her eating habits. A liter of milk? Really? So cornflakes are all she eats? I wonder how come she hasn't turned into a bony skeleton at this rate. _

His eyes idly wandered towards the bird in the cage, which was wide awake now and staring frightened at the open refrigerator door, not seeing anyone there.

Peter chuckled quietly.

_I freaked the bird out. _

-Hello, Lemondrop-he whispered eerily as he went to stand next to the cage. The budgie started thrashing and flying about the cage nervously, now positively terrified.

_Ok. I better stop doing this. Olivia's feathery friend might just have a heart attack and we wouldn't want that, would we, my precious?-_Peter joked with himself alternating Golum's and Smeagol's voice in his head.

He headed over to her room, eager to eavesdrop on her conversation.

Olivia was sitting in bed half-naked, wearing nothing but black panties and holding her cell phone in her hand. Her hair was still somewhat wet, and Peter licked his lips at the sight of her bare breasts.

_Bummer. I missed the bathroom part tonight. Would have liked to see her having a shower again. Oh well. Next time, I guess. But maybe… The fun is about to begin. If she is one of those ladies who double-click their mouse every night before they fall asleep instead of simply having a nice glass of warm milk… I'll be in luck._

Olivia was thanking Astrid for agreeing to come once a day to feed Lemondrop while she was away, Peter understood that much.

The next part of their banter was proportionally more interesting to him since she was actually talking about him. Well, not just about him, about him and Walter, to be precise, but… Peter pricked up his ears.

-I know. I am sorry… This definitely wasn't what I had in mind when I brought you to the lab to work with Walter and Peter. I understand that they can both be a handful and that it is difficult to be patient with them.

_Astrid is complaining about us. Oh well, it's only fair. _

-But Walter is a good person, no matter what we might think of his strange behavior. And Peter is good with him even though he won't admit it most of the times. Yes…-Olivia nibbled on her lip. –He can be quite selfish and arrogant. But I think that's mostly due to the fact that he got used to living alone during for so long that it's simply difficult for him to adapt to this new life he has now… But he'll come around. He's a good guy at heart-a small smile escaped her lips and Peter could have sworn she looked straight at the doorway where he was standing even though he positively knew she couldn't see him.

_You can't be more wrong, Olivia. And there you were saying you were the good judge of character the other day. Me? A good guy?_-Peter snorted._ If you knew where I am now and what I am doing… You most definitely wouldn't praise me so much. Well, now that I know what she thinks of me, I have to be extra careful and look to my laurels. Maintain the good boy image. _

His eyes widened appraisingly when Olivia stood up and started walking around the room.

_Yeah, Dunham. Deliver all your goods to me._

Peter actually entered her bedroom in the precise moment when she was just ending a conversation with their co-worker and after a minute or two she was already dialing a different number.

Listening carefully, Peter realized that she was talking to her sister and niece, who apparently, as much as he could gather from their interaction, weren't locals. Olivia informed her sister she was travelling abroad and that she wouldn't be at home for couple of days.

An involuntary smile escaped his lips after hearing the tenderness in her voice and the way she teased the little girl whose name was Ella, as it turned out.

_Cute. Who would have known she's that good with children? She doesn't seem the type at all._

When that conversation was over as well, Olivia yawned and turned off the lamp on her bedside table.

Peter stood alone in the dark for some time, disappointed she didn't pleasure herself that night.

_She probably wants to save energy since she has to get up early tomorrow morning._

Then he opted to come closer to Olivia.

Peter sat on the rug next to her bed, watching her intently, taking in every small sigh, every move she was making before her breathing eventually slowed down quarter of an hour later.

Her plump lips were slightly parted, her hair running wild about her pillow, and her eyelids fluttered when she finally sank in the dream phase.

Her arm twitched unawarely, removing the blanket from her breasts and her shy nipples protruded in his direction, exposed to the cool night air of her bedroom.

Peter's mouth abandoned all self-control at that sight and even though his brain was panickedly screaming all kind of sensible warnings at him, his lower head was the boss at this meeting, whether Peter liked it or not.

Blindly following his hungry instincts, Peter leaned over her in the dark and tenderly, carefully licked the area between her breasts, tasting her skin for the first time with the tip of his tongue and feeling his stomach pulsate with anticipation and lust.

_Female body exploration adventure, here I come._

She didn't even stir and Peter happily went on lightly lapping at her breasts, alternately hardening his tongue and letting it relax and moving ever so slowly towards the center of her desire.

After a minute or two, he used his saliva-filled tongue to go over one of her hardened nipples, making it pointy and attacking it a bit more aggressively, enjoying her sweet taste. Peter then suckled on it with his lips and bit gently, only to later nibble on it with his teeth, certain that it was driving her wild down there.

He grinned after having quickly slipped his left hand forefinger between her legs and after having found her deliciously wet.

The tip of the finger of his right hand tenderly and cautiously pleased the other jutting bud at the same time, never increasing the pressure, not wanting her to wake up.

_We don't want the other one to become lonely and intensely jealous, do we now?_

_Just giving you the taste of what you could have if you would just give in and be my lover. This is what I meant when I said "proper" goodbye, sweetheart. I want to make you all hot and bothered._

Olivia let out tiny moan, now half-awake, instinctively moving closer towards the unexpected source of pleasure and parting her lips.

_Enjoying this, aren't you? Probably thinking you're dreaming._-the sight of Olivia's now slightly pink cheeks and the way she stirred in bed made Peter extremely hard. He stopped with his ministrations for a while, and moved away a bit, wanting her to sink into deeper sleep once again before he went on.

He did it on time too, since precisely at that moment, her phone rang surprisingly loudly and Olivia jumped up, turning the light on.


	5. Telefongespräch

**OLIVIA **drowsily fumbled for the phone but unfortunately, she was too late. After several desperately loud rings, a sign "1 missed call" appeared on the display. She rapidly checked the number, and it was unknown to her.

_Who could be calling me at this time of night? Maybe it's Broyles, but phoning from a different place; maybe we have a new case, or… He wants to update me on his friend's state… I know he has spent a lot of time in the lab today, observing Walter and Peter's attempts to remove the parasite and to analyze its structure… _

She wondered whether she should call back but she opted for patiently waiting for the person, whoever he or she was, to ring her again.

If it really was Broyles, he was going to call again immediately, Olivia was certain of it.

She remembered the times when her stepfather would occasionally call her, once in a blue moon, really, and harass her by simply breathing into the phone or… Saying his famous phrase: "Hello, dear" in that sly, all-knowing voice. She didn't understand his everlasting need to haunt her, to… Bother her for on and on, as if wishing to… Prove to Olivia and to himself that he were still very much alive.

Olivia shuddered in the dark, hoping he hadn't been able to trace her new cell phone number. It was troublesome enough that he constantly reminded her of his existence by sending her a letter every day on her birthday.

_Now this. _

_On the other hand… It could be Samantha Loeb. She did seem so sad and anxious today. Perhaps she got my number from Broyles and she just wants me to talk about what happened. That sometimes helps… When someone simply listens to you while you lay your worries to rest… _

She sighed deeply in the dark and went through her hair with her fingers.

_I should really put something on. What was I thinking, not wearing a night shirt… It's not that cold, of course, since we're in the middle of April but it's not like it's summertime… _

Olivia's surprised gaze fell on her perky, erect, protruding, wet, throbbing nipples as she simultaneously felt the heat between her legs.

_But…_

She didn't understand. Then Olivia suddenly recalled, but vaguely, and as if though the fog, a strange dream she must have had during the semi-awake state of mind… Her cheeks were burning.

_I haven't had that kind of dream for… How long? Seventeen years or so?_

Olivia remembered that when she was a thirteen year old teenager, and when she got her first period, she started dreaming about a certain stranger… She didn't really know who he was, in her dream, but the dream was always the same.

Olivia would dream that she was lying on the bed fast asleep and then she would suddenly feel man's hands caressing her entire body, someone dipping his tongue between her lips and then fondling her breasts and pleasing her between her legs.

Everything would end with Olivia having sex with this unknown man, whose face she could never see during her sleep.

The dream was frightening and arousing for her at the same time, since she couldn't comprehend why she felt so much pleasure during her dream and how come she could have a full-fledged sexual experience while sleeping when she had never kissed a boy before, let alone done… All those things she dreamed of.

Olivia confided in a girl from her class, Giovanna, who was a daughter of Italian immigrants and her best friend, until she moved back to Italy with her parents when they both turned fourteen. Sadly, they did not keep in touch and Olivia vaguely thought that maybe she should open a Facebook account and look for her.

_I wish I had that kind of free time… To be able to catch up with the people I once held dear in my life… Now I am simply destined to be their hero and not to walk among them, not to have friends._

Giovanna simply laughed at her and told her it was all normal… Dreaming about a blank person, a hazy figure who was simply there to pleasure her… Was merely a sign that they were becoming sexually mature… And that all teenage girls had such dreams, with the only difference that the "stranger" might have a familiar face after all, adopting the form of the hot actor, cute singer or adoring boy next door. Since Olivia wasn't really neither in love nor obsessed with any guy for that matter, her "stranger" was faceless and well… Unknown to her, Giovanna told her.

Olivia stopped having that dream shortly after her mother fell ill and died, when she was 14 years old and as all the worries of this world fell onto her shoulders and as she prohibited herself to think about such pleasures, starting to look after Rach.

And if there was any truth to the sentence "Dreams are the intensified thoughts we have during the day", Olivia understood perfectly why she didn't dream anymore of that mysterious stranger who was pleasing her as she slept.

Now the dream was apparently back, and more lucid than she had ever experienced it.

To humor herself while she was waiting for that phone call, and to obtain some kind of distraction from the hunger she was feeling at her warm damp entrance, knowing she didn't have the time to properly pleasure herself as thoroughly as she liked, Olivia decided to check up the meaning of that particular dream on the Internet.

Olivia got up, went towards the wardrobe and pulled out a simple black T-shirt which she then put on hastily and carelessly, as if she were getting ready for the FBI drill.

She turned her laptop on and typed: _having sex with stranger dream_

Peter was standing right behind her, smirking after having seen the words she entered in the Google search engine.

_Women_-he laughed inwardly.

He was secretly pleased with Olivia's glowing, enflamed face, which to him was the best proof that Peter did a good job while teasing her body.

_She reacted to me so easily, so spontaneously. Like a haystack ignited by a mere spark. Her body even subconsciously leaned closer towards my lips. Hotblooded, ready and willing._

He remembered how her rosy nipples turned into little pebbles as he whisked and rasped them hungrily with his tongue and his forefinger and smiled.

Peter then promptly came back to reality and instinctively checked his wristwatch. He realized he had twenty more minutes left.

_Well I still have time. I can stay some more. Let's see what Olivia will deduce from this situation._

He saw that her eyes lingered longest on one page in particular, so he leaned over her shoulder to check it out as well.

"To dream that you are having sex with a stranger represents uncertainty about what is ahead.

Alternatively, the dream allows you to experiment freely without having any hang ups, emotional baggage or preconceived notions associated with a person you would know. In such a scenario, you are able to let loose and express your longings, passions and emotions. Furthermore, the overall act of having sex with a stranger could mean a desire for more excitement and risk in your life. It may mean you want more passion or that your sex life isn't satisfying enough since you probably have needs you haven't confronted yet because you have been too over-protective of yourself.

Lastly, the stranger himself may also represent a real-life person. Someone you already know and with whom you would like to be intimate sexually but you haven't done so for some reason.

The other possibility is that you are actually dreaming of someone you are vaguely familiar with, whom you are currently getting to know on a deeper level but are struggling to make progress with-someone you subconsciously want to find more about. This person may wield a positive or a negative force over your life, depending on the emotions you feel in the dream."

Olivia seemed deep in thoughts after having read this. Peter's eyes flew quickly over the lines as well.

_What? Why does she look so pensive? It's just bunch of gibberish and…Well… Gobbledygook. Oh, come on, Olivia. Don't tell me you're actually buying this crap. Okay maybe… this part about her sex life not being satisfying enough could be true. Well, it is true. She hasn't made the beast with two backs for a while. _

_The rest of the article on the blog is just stupid and written for desperate housewives. I have the same opinion on horoscopes as well. _

Peter sniggered remembering one of his one night stands reading "The Virgo man general characteristics" to him after he banged her.

_How was it?_-he almost cracked up. "_Virgos are picky, critical, and attentive to details. They were born to help others and to serve._ _The sense of duty borne by these folks is considerable, and it ensures that they will always work for the greater good." Not in my book. Ladies, Peter Bishop is not picky. He's careless and he most certainly doesn't have a sense of duty. _

_And to think Olivia is taking this dream analysis seriously and she doesn't know that she didn't even have this dream in the first place-_Peter shook his head barely suppressing a snigger.

Peter was surprised to see tears running down Olivia's face next, when he glanced at her after his inner monologue, and he suddenly felt like he might have crossed the line by intruding so much in her private life, that he shouldn't be there in the first place, that he might have caused her to emotionally snap for some reason. That was not Peter's goal at all and he felt uneasy and slightly embarrassed.

_Who knows what she might have deduced from that dull dim-witted text. Oh, wait… This part caught her attention for sure: "The stranger himself may also represent a real-life person. Someone you already know and with whom you would like to be intimate sexually but you haven't done so for some reason." _

_Olivia probably remembered her dear beloved late ex-lover and now she thinks she actually dreamt of him because she would like to embark on a carnal pleasure cruise with him, but she hasn't done it because…. Well, the guy is six feet under. How lovely. _

_Speaking of the parts… Hello, last paragraph. If I were Olivia, I would definitely think about Peter Bishop after having read it. But her mind is probably numbed and programmed only to recognize situations which can be associated with Johnny boy._

The renewed ringing of her mobile phone interrupted both of their trains of thoughts and Olivia answered it immediately this time.

-Olivia Dunham. Oh, hey Luke! Guten Morgen to you too.-a wide and content smile appeared on her face as she stood up, turning off the laptop, fisting out the tears from her eyes and landing on the top of her bed.

Olivia started twirling her hair innocently and gently nibbling on its ends, her long legs crossed. –I didn't recognize your phone number… And it hadn't even occurred to me to check the prefix… If I had done that I would have most certainly figured out it was you and I would have called you back…What's up?

_Who the hell is Luke?_-Peter frowned, attentive of her body language which was exhibiting all the possible signs of flirty nervousness.

He instinctively, defensively crossed his arms and cocked his head, listening intently.

-No, don't apologize… It's one a.m. over here… The plane leaves for Germany at six a.m., but don't worry… I was planning on sleeping during the flight anyway… What time is it in Frankfurt?-she inquired playfully and jovially. –It was… What? The six hour difference… So it's seven in the morning over there… You're up early. Business calls?-she laughed openly. –I know what that's like.

Olivia's face was becoming more and more radiant by second. It was obvious she used to be very close to this man, much closer than she ever was with Peter.

Peter sulked, putting on a scowl, sensing competition in the air, wondering what that guy was telling her.

_The old true saying: man falls in love with his eyes, woman falls in love with her ears. I wasn't obsessed with Olivia Dunham for the past six months without a reason. I didn't make this goddamned serum without a reason It's only fair that after so much waiting, I get to be her fuck buddy. I want her to be mine. And no one else's_-he snarled possessively in his thoughts.

After some time Olivia's face became serious and kind when she uttered the following words:

-Lucas. Thank you. For agreeing to try to get me in. One person's life is at stake and he is very important to a colleague and a friend of mine. I would do whatever it took to… Get that information. Yes. I know. It simply happens that you were at the right place at the right time. But I am still grateful. You… You didn't have to do that kind of favor to me. And yet you still did it.

_Olivia Dunham is apparently thankful to everyone for everything. And always so pleasant, considerate and reserved. Pretty much perfect. _

_She should spend more time looking after herself than dedicating her life to the others, that much is true. She's wasting and sacrificing the best years of her life. Oh well. Whatever floats her boat. Heroic roleplay for the win. Olivia doesn't realize how naïve that idealistic approach really is. She puts too much faith in humanity._

_I used to be like that way back when… When I was a kid, living in a perfect family._-he shrugged off his memories. _–But I know better now, after Walter got institutionalized, after I was living out there in the streets for so long. Eat or be eaten. Shark law of the universe. Sink or swim._

Her tender voice placed Peter back into focus, snapping him out of his déjà vu.

-So the flight to Frankfurt from Boston lasts… Six hours, right? That means I would get there at 12 p.m. Boston local time… Which is actually 18 p.m. in Frankfurt, am I right? Okay. And after we meet at the airport, can you get me to the prison immediately? What's the rush? What do you mean what's the rush? The man is dying…-she actually let out a small sweet incredulous giggle and Peter felt his nervousness level rise.

_Who is that guy? Is her German contact? And what is he telling her?_

He wished that along the invisibility super power came the super hearing as well so that he could hear every word Lucas was saying to Olivia.

-So you have actually already discussed the matter with the warden? That's great. I don't know what to say… Oh no…-she let out a heartily laugh. –I don't believe you that for a second. I sincerely doubt that your culinary skill has risen up one level, Lucas…Remember the time when we lived together, we were both disastrous cooks and we always had to order in… You don't say?-she said, gently and with a genuine conspiratory smile.

_She never talked to me like that_-Peter sulked like a child.

_Wait what? They lived together?_

_Ex-boyfriend alarm is officially on, ladies and gentlemen._

That tremendous physical attraction he felt for Olivia since… Well, really, since the moment he laid eyes on her boobs in that simple tight dark brown T-shirt, made him horribly envious of "un tal Lucas". Of someone she already used to belong to in corporeal way.

Peter wasn't ready to give up on his hot boss's body, not now when he believed he was so close to his goal and that within a month or two he would be actually able to get into her panties.

_Yeah, but how to prevent her from meeting him? It's virtually impossible. He'll have the perfect quickie setting. The two of them alone, catching up at his place, fine wine and fine dining… Damn it, I didn't start getting her all worked up just so that she could go and screw some pompous, pretentious German bastard. Should have searched for the project that would allow me to teleport somewhere. In that way, I would be able to supervise her activities_-he grudgingly joked knowing there's nothing else he had left.

-Thank you for that offer but… I have already reserved a single bed room in a hotel on the Internet couple of hours ago. No, I… I thought it over…. I didn't wanna bother you. But of course I'll drop by and taste that Sauerbraten of yours if everything goes well with the case and if I have time. But you better not make it with horse meat. Rindfleisch, nicht Pferdefleisch-she whispered faux-menacingly. –Yeah I know, my German is rusty. Beef is fine. Yeah. So I'll see you tomorrow at the airport? Bye-she smiled for one last time and the phone call was over.

**PETER **was already long gone, straight through the door and out in the street, rubbing his hands, already sensing the chilly night air.

He didn't drive to Olivia's place that night, fearing the possible violent physical reaction of his body, not really wanting to get himself killed. He was walking slowly and steadily towards the hotel, still invisible. He fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a packet of aspirins. Having swallowed one, Peter sighed contently, certain that the horrible headaches he was experiencing yesterday won't bother him any longer after he reverted back to his original form.

Ten minutes later, his body came back into focus just in front of the old drunk hobo who was staggering across the street. The man stared bewildered and wide-eyed, pointing his finger at him.

-What's up, old man?-Peter grinned amicably and patted him on the shoulder. –Nothing to see here.

_How's that for wordplay? Kudos for me._

-You… You appeared out of nowhere in… In that dark cloak-the man muttered, trembling in fear.

-Not true. One: It's a peacoat, really. And two: Everything and everyone has to come from somewhere. We all have our point of origin. We just don't know where we're going next. Or perhaps we do, but we pretend we don't because we are all walking to our inevitable end and the notion of death is kinda depressing so people like to console themselves with religion. Or with booze.-Peter smiled giving him a brief philosophy lecture and slightly enjoying the man's puzzlement. –And you've had too much to drink. Have a good night now.

The man gawked at him as Peter elegantly passed him by.

Peter sniggered for a couple of blocks, and then his thoughts went back to Olivia in her room, resting.

He noticed that she was slowly becoming a fixation for his mind, an obsession really, and that his brain would linger on her a lot during a day. But that didn't bother him much. He regarded it as a simple instinct of a hunter who was ever conscious of his prey.

_Prey who is now leaving my sight._-that was making Peter uncomfortable, the missing of certainty, the upcoming temporary lack of knowledge of Olivia's whereabouts.

The fact that she was going to see her ex. He suddenly wished he could have stayed there with her a while longer.

_Well the phone call irritated me. Whatever-_he kicked a loose stone and it reverberated with a loud "clang", rolling down the street.

_Why did I suddenly remember that stupid movie from last year, "Twilight"… Was it last year's? It seems as if an awful lot time has passed. I guess it was. We're in April 2009 so that must have been 2008… But autumn, I guess. Little bit after Olivia blackmailed me and forced me to come here. _

_I wanted to bang the waitress I met in the bar where Walter and I used to go for milkshakes and blueberry pancakes back then and I took her to actually see that crap… Well she changed her mind after she saw Walter touching himself in the middle of the restaurant. Pity._

_In this case I would be the vampire and Olivia a clueless teenage girl. Pretty much far from the truth._

_Too bad I can't really climb walls and sneak around unseen. My invisibility is, alas, merely temporary._

He went on and on, alone under the pitch-black sky, as the entire city of Boston was already slumbering away securely wrapped up in the sheets of darkness.

_A solitary undetectable hero… City vigilante._

_Or a villain. _

_I need a motto. Or a song. _

"_Up in the sky, look: It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superman!" _

_Queen song would be my obvious choice._

As he was already approaching the address of his hotel, Peter whistled a tune which resonated spookily around the neigbourhood.

"When you hear a sound that you just can't place

Feel somethin' move that you just can't trace

When something sits on the end of your bed

Don't turn around when you hear me tread

I'm the invisible man I'm the invisible man

Incredible how you can see right through me

I'm the invisible man I'm the invisible man

It's criminal how I can see right through you

Now I'm in your room and I'm in your bed

And I'm in your life and I'm in your head

Like the CIA or the FBI

You'll never get close never take me alive

Never had a real good friend - not a boy or a girl

No-one knows what I've been through - let my flag unfurl

So I make my mark from the edge of the world

From the edge of the world

Now I'm on your track and I'm in your mind

And I'm on your back but don't look behind

I'm your meanest thought I'm your darkest fear

But I'll never get caught you can't shake me shake me dear"…

_Spookily appropriate._

When he reached his room, Peter briefly checked upon Walter who was sound asleep, more out of habit, really than out of real concern.

Then he slumped on the sofa without bothering to take his clothes off.

His head didn't hurt but he had a funny overall feeling of weariness and sluggishness, as if he had aged ten of fifteen years in mere seconds.

_My body is reacting to the depigmentation process, probably. At least I am not in any pain. Go aspirins!_

_I can't believe we've gotta go back to the lab in three hours to check upon Michel Loeb. She won't be there. And then another boring working day awaits._

_Won't get much sleep, will I? _

_Serves me right for the nightly excursion._

_But what an excursion that was._

_It was well worth it, tasting that set of fine boobs Olivia has. Soft, voluptuous, large…_

_She should have them licked and sucked on as often as possible._

Peter imagined Olivia pushing her tits together while his cock slid up and down in between them.

_Now that would be… Another level of hotness. She would enjoy it._

He sighed.

Walter's loud snores were soon heard, interrupting his lusty ponderings and Peter smiled in the dark, distracted from his previous thoughts.

_Looking after Walter is, like I said, a matter of habit. _

_Kinda like I'm watering the same plant every day. I'm really getting the hang of it. _

_Sing him a lullaby until he sleeps… Feed him and hold him until he burps. Take him by the hand and drive him around town._

_That's pretty much it. And at least he's fun to be around. _

_While other fathers were banning their kids from reading porn magazines, Walter used to encourage me to read those as often as possible… _

_Ha, ha, ha. I still remember how he smuggled them to my room without Mom knowing and how he showed me the best tits there were back then when I was 13._

A lump formed in his throat at the thought of his mother and he shook it away.

_No. I won't think about her. It… It makes me… Weak._

He tried to fall asleep but there was something boiling inside him, and literally at that. Peter felt as if there was an enormous witch cauldron in his insides, full of devil's broth, as it churned and whirred, moving upwards, creeping towards his throat.

He bent down and started vomiting hard all over the carpet, clutching his stomach.


	6. Sehnsucht

**PETER **slowly opened his eyes realizing he was lying on the floor in his own vomit.

_Disgusting._

The throbbing pain in his head was back again.

_Dang. What the hell happened to me?_

A big spoon full of boiled rice and Walter's worried face were somehow inches from his and Peter didn't find the sight appealing at all.

-Walter…-he whispered weakly. –We talked about creepy staring.

-Peter. You're back.

-I… Wasn't aware I was gone somewhere-he tried to chuckle but failed.

-You were… It was like a miracle-Walter's eyes widened as he stuttered, struggling to find adequate words. –I was asleep and then I heard a gross slushy sound. I opened my eyes and saw you on all fours, on the floor. You were vomiting. I ran to your side to help you. And then you were gone.

-Gone?-Peter swallowed hard, his mind whirring.

-For ten seconds or so you were completely gone. It was so weird.

_Shit. That's impossible. The serum effects last only for an hour. I couldn't have been fading in and out of sight AFTER the invisibility has worn off. Could I?_

-That's just stupid. Where could I have gone? Hey, maybe I've visited a parallel universe? You know, moving the boundaries? Jumping through space and time…-Peter joked but Walter stiffened for some reason after having heard those words.

Peter went on, needing to reassure his father in order to shake the worm of doubt off of Walter.

_He mustn't find out what I was doing in the lab. What I am doing every night._ _He can't find out about the serum._

-You are crazy, Walter. You sometimes have hallucinations and you are almost always high on some home-made drug combination. Have you considered that was the reason why you saw me fading away and then coming back into focus?

-I… I don't deny that I have hallucinations… Occasionally-Walter closed his eyes in fright as if recalling something terrible. –But my hallucinations involve… Something far more… Terrifying to me.

-Let me guess. You are seeing pink unicorns and dancing little green leprechauns with tam o' shanters on?

-Don't be stupid, damn it. You don't know what I went through. What I am going through-Walter's voice shivered. -Mocking everyone and everything around you, thinking that you are the smartest man in the world. Don't be so exclusive and small-minded, Peter. It runs in your blood, I guess.-Walter's voice became more deep and despising, and it reminded Peter of the tone his father used when he made a comment about his mother, back when Peter and he were arguing about the existence of Observer.

_Back when I wanted to leave. If that whacko hadn't abducted me, I would have. I would have left for good. And I would be far far away now. Walter would be locked up in the looney bin where he belongs and I would be regularly banging some hot chick. Me and my damn curiosity. I just had to stay, didn't I? You wanna know more about the Observer, Bishop? Well guess what, the baldy hasn't appeared in months. So you stayed here in vain._

-Don't you start on me. Don't you dare comparing me with her again. Tainting the memory of her. Don't go there. Don't even think about it-Peter gulped and struggled to stand upright with a murderous glint in his now steel gray eyes, staring coldly into his father's watery ones. -Last time… Last time you went there… Olivia was with us in the room so I had to show some self control out of respect but… Now… Nothing would stop me from teaching you a lesson-he clenched his fists feeling that same infernal boiling heat rising from his stomach and traveling towards his brain, as blood rushed into his cheeks.

-You would hit your own father?

-Try me-he growled menacingly.

-I really don't know who you are anymore, son. You were such a sweet boy. Now… It's as if I'm looking at a face of a coldblooded monster.

-Don't call me like that. I will never be your son. Just like you never knew how to be a father to me. If I… If I have turned into abomination… Ask yourself… Whose fault that is, you poor crazy man. You made me like this. You made her… Kill herself. You ruined me!-he bellowed, shaking Walter by the shoulders. -Serves you right… That you can't even trust your own mind. Your own thoughts playing tricks on you. Your son hating you. Payback is a bitch, isn't it, Walter?-Peter was enjoying torturing his father, in making him realize he was the one who wrecked their home, who wrecked his heart and his mind when he did what he did. When he abandoned them. The man who he used to love so much. The man who destroyed him and sold his world.

His stomach jumped up to his throat for the second time precisely at that moment and Peter passed out again out of sheer pain.

**WHEN** he opened his eyes once more, Peter was lying in the bathtub, completely naked.

_Weak. So… Damn… Weak._

He had no idea how much time had passed.

Walter was standing right above him, soaping his chest with clumsy but determined moves, simultaneously removing the vomit from his neck and his chin.

-Ugh. What time is it?

-It's two o'clock in the morning-Walter replied courtly.

-How long was I out?

-Twenty minutes.

-Did you drag me in here?

-Yes. You were very heavy. I do hope you'll be able to stand up after I bathe you. I don't think I could pull you out of this tub by myself. You have really grown, Peter.

-Yeah? Here's a newsflash for you. I am thirty years old. I have a body of an adult man.

-Your body is well proportioned-his father stated objectively, staring at Peter's chest and shoulders, and then his gaze wandered below Peter's waist.

Peter felt the irresistible urge to cover himself.

-You're big down there too, just like me-Walter smiled a proud fatherly smile.

Peter opted not to make a comment on that.

He tried to stand up instead but couldn't.

-I haven't rinsed you yet.

-I can do that by myself.

-Can you really?-Walter's inspecting gaze collided with his foggy eyes.

-Please get out and leave me alone.

-Fine. I will wait by the door in case you need anything. Here are your pajamas and your underwear-Walter motioned towards a small wooden chair he apparently dragged into their hotel room bathroom and on which he hung Peter's clothes. –I'll go and clean the carpet, reheat the rice.

-What rice?

-Rice for taming your tummy trouble. You know, Peter…-Walter started, with a lecturing tone of voice. -Rice, along with other starchy foods such as potatoes and oats, helps coat the lining of the stomach, easing digestion and having an overall soothing effect. Starchy foods also don't sit in the stomach for long periods of time, nor do they stimulate acid reflux, which would make you feel even worse, says Amit Bhan, MD, service chief of gastroenterology at Henry Ford Health System, in West Bloomfield.

-Well if Amit Bhan, MD, says it, it has to be true-Peter smirked.

-Then we should both get some sleep. We have to go to the lab at five o'clock Peter to check up on Mr.…

-Loeb.

-Yes, on Mr. Loeb's vitals, and you need to be able to drive. That man's life depends on us.

-On you. It depends on you.

-We are in this together.

-Ha, ha. Hardly. I'm just a sidekick and a spectator.

-You maybe saved his life yesterday with that clever suggestion when the parasite started squeezing his heart even stronger.

-It was a risky idea, a gamble. It might not have worked.

-But it did. You show promising talent as a young scientist, Peter. You could follow in my footsteps.

-Oh, I wish you were joking-Peter sighed.

When Walter finally exited the bathroom, leaving his son alone and casting the last worried and suspicious glance in Peter's direction, Peter relaxed his tortured body in the tub, simply lying there in warm water, trying to empty his mind.

But he had to admit to himself it was high time to face the consequences of his act.

_Why did I vomit? When I came out of Olivia's place, I ate that giant sandwich I brought with me immediately, to replenish my energy straight away, so I wouldn't feel exhausted. I took an aspirin as a precaution, to prevent a possible headache. The rat I experimented on in the lab didn't exhibit any signs of problems with digestive tract. _

_Unless… Walter said I… I became transparent for several seconds. After the expiry of the serum. If we assume he wasn't imagining it… That would mean that my body isn't reassembling itself properly when it's returning into the original, visible form. _

_What if… _

_Seeing how my entire organism, including my innards as well, momentarily became slightly less substantial… _

_Then… _

_My digestive system perhaps became less efficient. It couldn't digest the food I ate and… My body rebelled against it and threw it out._

_That's not good. Not good at all. I should have learned more about the side effects before I embarked upon this journey, damn it. What if I suddenly become transparent in the middle of the lab? I can't allow that to happen. I have to… I have to do more research. But the book I need… It's not on the internet. I've already searched for it in the PDF format. It was published way back when in the 1960s and no one has scanned it yet. Darn._

He rinsed the shower gel from his body and stood up clumsily, swaying a bit.

Just as Peter thought he should praise himself for having gotten out of the tub successfully, he slipped and yelped, barely managing to stand upright.

Walter rushed into the bathroom and offered him his shoulder to lean on, guiding him slowly towards the bed.

Peter sighed deeply and contently when he was finally in a relieving horizontal position.

Walter showed up seconds later, or so it seemed, with a bowl of steaming rice.

-I… I don't really want to eat anything right now-Peter grimaced.

-Nonsense. This will do you good and soothe your intestinal flora.

-I'm tired, Walter. I only want to get some sleep. Well… That and I want you to leave me alone. I am keeping the bed and you can take the sofa for once in your life.

-Eat just a little, son-his father's pleading gaze and his insistence unnerved Peter and he mumbled an irritated "Fine. Let's get this over with" phrase, obediently opening his mouth. After a couple of spoonfuls, Peter had to admit that he actually did feel better. The stomachache was completely gone.

-It's good. Thanks.-Peter fidgeted uncomfortably, muttering those words barely audibly, staring at the wall.

Walter's worried eyes never left Peter's face for the second, and then the mad scientist's palm tentatively and gently landed on Peter's sweaty forehead.

Peter tensed, frowned in displeasure at that touch, blushed slightly and looked everywhere but into his father's eyes.

-Son.

-Look, Walter…

-What happened to you tonight?-Walter's tone of voice was much more lucid than Peter ever heard him speak during the last six months.

_Kinda like when he asked me who that man in the restaurant was._

-Went out with some high-school friends to catch up… Got drunk. End of story.

-Oh, I see.

Peter knew he didn't fool his father.

_Damn it, why did his wits have to pick precisely this moment to momentarily return?_

_It doesn't matter. I won't tell him the truth anyway and there is no way he can find out by himself._

_-_Rest then, Peter-Walter said in a feigned casual tone of voice and stood up, patting him jovially on the head. -I am going to the sofa for tonight.

-You mean for three hours?

-Oh, yes. I really don't know how we are going to function in the laboratory, we have both slept very little-Walter stated worriedly.

-We'll manage. Listen… Could you cover for me for a while?

-Cover for you? Where are you going? Peter… I need you at the lab. That man's life is at stake.

-Look. Don't fuss so much. All we can do is keep Loeb's vitals stable and keep the parasite drowsy so that its roots don't expand fast, and lead to man's dehydration, until Olivia phones us and tells us how to make the antidote. That shouldn't be so hard now, should it? You and Astrid will make a pretty good team until I return, I am certain. I need to run an errand but I'll be back as soon as possible.

-But son…

-Listen. If something happens and you need me to get there urgently, just tell Astrid to call me on my cell phone, OK? And don't forget to tell that to her.

-I won't. Good night, Peter.

-Good night-he replied shortly, turning on his side, away from his father and facing the wall, falling asleep almost immediately after his head touched the pillow.

**IT **was exactly seven o'clock on a cold foggy morning, unusually chilly for that time of year when Peter casually strolled into Markham's bookstore.

_If anyone can get me the book I need, it's him. _

Markham didn't seem surprised at all to see him.

On the contrary, a crafty smile adorned his face as he removed his glasses, leaving aside the book he was reading and greeting Peter.

_Oh, well. He probably got used to my disappearing and appearing out of the blue. _

_Though, Markham would definitely be surprised if he found out I was doing it for real._

-Well, well, well. If it isn't Peter Bishop again. Haven't seen you for six months, since November, really. You're still in town? How long are you staying for? Does Michael know?-Markham raised his eyebrows worriedly.

-You hadn't seen me for five years, then you briefly saw me in November and now the first thing you do is mention Michael? What a warm welcome you've given me this time round, Markham. I couldn't have desired for a better one.-Peter muttered sleepily, but still maintaining his laid-back sarcastic style.

-Last time you left Boston for half a decade was precisely because of him and his thugs. And that friend of yours, the chick both of you were simultaneously impaling back then, Bessie or Tessie or something?

-Tess-Peter tensed a little. -No need to remind me of that.

-There was a lot of talk going on about it lately, kid. Someone took a photo of you and your father in a diner couple of months ago. Michael came here in person to ask me if I had seen you. I told him I hadn't seen you for five years but I'm not sure if he believed me. Just giving you a fair warning. Michael still hasn't forgotten the way you played him for a fool, ditching the business you had to take care of for him and screwing his better half behind his back.

Peter waved off his comment recklessly.

Markham's eyes fell on Peter's face.

-You look like piece of shit, Bishop.

-If I am a piece of shit, you're goat droppings.

-Ouch. That was low.

-Well you're short, so I have to hit low-Peter retorted. –Listen, Markham, this is urgent. I need a book.

-Tell me, how come you always remember me when you need something? You never bring me a gift, never ask me how I am… It's always: Markham, I need this, or Markham, I need that. Normally to impress your girlfriends.

-Markham-Peter clenched his teeth. –I really need it this time.

-Okay, okay… Which one is it?-he took the tiny piece of paper out of Peter's shaky hand and read what was scribbled on it. -"Matter of energy?" Sounds sexy and ambiguous. Double entendre. And hard to find. You dabbling in scientific readings again? Wanna try and enter MIT for real now?

-Yeah… You know me. A hard working, devoted young man.

-Well then I won't even ask you what you need it for. Tomorrow okay for you?

-As a matter of fact… As soon as you can, Markham… I… Today would be even better actually. Maybe you have it in the shop and you don't know it? I could wait until you search for it.-Peter muttered, as his hand trembled and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead while he was leaning on the counter, breathing heavily.

Markham's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

-You started doing drugs, Bishop?

-What? No! You know excessive beer drinking, occasional stealing, lying and cheating in combination with constant sex craving are my only vices.

-You look drugged or… Like you are in some kind a trouble.

-Not you too, Markham. Spare me the talk.

-Fine. Fine. I am not saying anything. Oh… Humor me: where's that cute little waitress you brought here in November so that I could give her a cook book as a present? Did you do her?-Markham's lusty eyes widened.

-You know, you really are one sexually frustrated dwarf, Markham. That sounds just like you. You can't get any on your own so you jerk off on my stories.

-Hey! Man's gotta do what man's gotta do. It's easy for you to say. You were born fortuitous. Good looks play an important part in getting some. Tall, ruggedly handsome, baby blues… You only need to smile in their direction for them to spread their legs to you-the dwarf licked his lips hornily.

-Maybe you should join a traveling circus. Might find a bearded lady your size who'd let you get into her panties. Wait. Scratch that. Even midget women like to ride a big one… I've seen a cool porn with a dwarf gal that was humping black guy's huge cock. Had a good plot. Not much of a turn on, though. I don't know why I watched it, really. I mostly hang out in "Big Tits" and "Blonde" categories, though I'll watch "Vintage" and "Hentai" occasionally, from time to time. I think I must have been bored or drunk when I played this one on Red Tube.

-Hentai? You mean porn cartoon? That wouldn't get me going at all. I'm not listening to you-Markham sighed.

-Markham… Those words are sacrilege. Hentai is a form of art, in my humble opinion. And those schoolgirls' horny sighs in Japanese always make me hard-Peter grinned.

-Hey kid, whatever turns you on-Markham shrugged. -So… Back to the previous topic. Did you occupy her Vagistan? She had a nice ass.

-I knew you checked out her butt when we were leaving. You sly dog-Peter smirked. –But…Yeah… She did have a nice ass… She let me knead it for a bit in the cinema. However… Uh-uh. Didn't shatter her meat tunnel. Walter scared her off after only two days, just as I was making progress and moving towards the final arrangements.

-Your old man? What did he do?

-He pulled his pecker out in the middle of the restaurant and started stroking it with the comment: "Oh look Peter, I have just gotten an erection! I didn't know I could still get one at this age… The medicaments they used to give me at mental hospital must have numbed me down there for so long. But now! Lo and behold! It's time for him to breathe the free air again."

-Well… That certainly sounds interesting-Markham said warily, placing his forefinger on the side of his head and twirling it in circular movements. –Kooky.

-Oh, it was interesting, without a doubt. At least Walter managed to be in the centre of attention. And to embarrass me along the way, but no matter. It's really becoming a habit of Walter's so I got used to it.

-Okay, kid. Nuff talking. I'll try and find the book for you now.

Markham placed a "CLOSED" sign on the door so that no one would bother them, and after a lot of noise-making in the back room, he actually returned with "Matter of Energy" an hour or so later, finding Peter sound asleep, and snoring lightly on the chair.

-Wake up, Bishop.

-Hey. I…-Peter yawned and stretched, standing up –I dozed off… Didn't really get a chance to sleep properly last night.

-I've got your book.

-Already? What time is it? You're shitting me? After a mere hour? It's no wonder you do what you do. You're really good at it. I have started to hold you in my highest regard, Sir Markham. You have just managed to impress me now.

-Like I care, you know-a wide, content smile was depicted on the dwarf's face despite his nonchalant stand-offish comment.

-I gotta go now, man. Thanks. I owe you one. It was pleasure seeing you again.

-Take care, Bishop-Markham eyed him worryingly.

-Always do. You know that.

-I'm not really sure I do, but if you say so-dwarf's worried eyes followed Peter as he exited his bookshop staggering a bit.

**PETER **entered the lab with the book in his hands around quarter past eight.

Walter and Astrid were there, having breakfast.

Peter didn't really want to join them, afraid he might upset his stomach yet again.

Samantha Loeb was in the lab as well, standing as immobile as a stone statue next to her husband's body and staring at Michel Loeb's pale face.

As soon as she saw Peter coming in, she brushed the tears out of corners of her eyes and hurriedly came over to greet him.

-You are Peter Bishop?-an immense gratitude and happiness was mirrored in her eyes.

-Yeah-he nodded casually, eying her surprisedly. –Mrs. Loeb, I presume?

-Yes, I am Michel's wife… Listen… I just wanted to thank you for all you did for my husband… Your father and his lab assistant told me he could have died yesterday afternoon hadn't it been for your intervention.

-Technically speaking… My risky intervention could also have precisely been the thing that might have killed him. So you would be cursing me today instead of thanking me.

-Well, he is stable for now or at least that's what they tell me. And we owe this to you-she placed her hands on Peter's shoulders as if she was going to embrace him, and he frowned, moving away for a bit, shunning the physical contact and not sharing her thankful enthusiasm.

-My father-Peter then casually motioned towards Walter-is the guy you want to thank to. –He's the mad ingenious doctor.

-It matters not. What you did for Michel… I will never forget that. You saved another person's life and you truly have a heart of gold-those were the last words she said to him, moving away to stand by her husband again.

_A heart of gold… Pfff… The quantity of bull that sentence just contained. I can't even…_

Peter went to greet Walter and Astrid who suddenly stopped talking.

_They were talking about me_-he realized.

-What's up, old man? Astrid-he addressed Walter and nodded coldly in Astrid's direction.

_She has been angry with me for days. Well I'm not gonna run around her like a stray puppy and beg her for us to be on talking terms again._

-Son. How are you feeling? Are you hungry?-Walter stifled a yawn but his eyes seemed concerned.

-Peachy. Just… Peachy. Nope. I'm not hungry. I see Loeb's doing fine.

-Well the parasite is gradually weakening him, but, then again, we already knew that. We have maybe a day before he… Dies-Walter replied. –I do hope Agent Dunham will be able to find out what the ingredients for the antidote are.

Peter glanced at his wristwatch.

-She's aboard the plane right now. She should be in Frankfurt by midday, Boston time. She said she'd call as soon as she found something out. Look. I'm gonna go read something for a while. If you need me, shout.

Peter then left the two of them and accommodated in the back room, slumping onto the nearest wooden chair and opening the yellowish book, as he pulled out his MP3 player, put the headphones on and chose a song.

_If Olivia were here, she wouldn't be able to bitch about the loud music in the lab right now, would she? Look at me, an adorable, considerate angel, sitting around with my MP3 player, not disturbing Mr. Loeb's recovery._

_Now to shed some more light on what's happening to me._

After almost half an hour, when Peter finally got to the part about the hypothesis of insubstantiality and the relation of matter and energy in case of depigmentation, he frowned, his eyes staring at the hazy lines.

_Dark letters, dark words. Now this is truly bad news._

"Presuming that such a serum has indeed been made, the person who injected him or herself with it might experience trouble in "reintegrating" after some time. The molecular bond, which was damaged frequently as the laws of physics were violated, would have difficulty in repeatedly forming and he or she might lose substantiality forever, since his or hers molecules would stop reintegrating and reassembling completely after some time. Estimated time would be around one month or a month and a half."

_So I might become invisible forever after a month. Oh joy._

Another paragraph caught Peter's attention and he knitted his brows.

"If the so called invisibility serum is used often enough, the balance between matter and energy would be disturbed, resulting in the expansion of the gradual dominance of energy over matter. Extra energy which needs to be spent in some way would start forming or it would outburst in an extremely violent way, altering the demeanor of the test subject and sending him into a state of aggressiveness and frenzy".

_I… I felt something similar last night when Walter… Offended… Her. I wanted to beat him up so badly. Shit. I am normally edgy and all but if I became even more aggressive, people would notice. Maybe this was all a bad idea. Maybe I should stop taking it._

His thoughts went back to Olivia, thinking how she must be sound asleep, flying over the Atlantic Ocean.

_Wish I was in Germany right now. Following her every step. _

_The old drunk hobo was scared of me last night in the alley. Thought I was wearing a dark cloak. How's that for the vampire association? _

_Could turn into a bat and fly to Frankfurt, but instead of vampire wings, I could have tiny peacoat sleeves. _

He laughed out loud in the middle of an empty back room.

_God. I am truly going crazy. Well, it runs in the family._

_Darn, I won't… I won't give up now. Eyes on the prize. If I got her as a friend with benefits in the end… Everything I am doing now would be oh so very worth it._

The back room door opened all of a sudden and Peter heard the sound despite the music he was listening to. He rolled his eyes without bothering to turn around.

-Walter. Can you last for at least half an hour without coming to hold on to my skirt? What is it now? Do you happen to need me to go with you to the bathroom to be your moral support while you're pissing?

-It's not Walter.-Astrid came over and sat next to him.

-Well, well. You decided to honor me with your presence, eh, Princess Farnsworth?

_I remember she complained about me to Olivia. And darling Olivia, being a naïve angel like she is, told her I am essentially a good guy. So Astrid wants to patch things up._

_Or… Walter made her come here and snoop around because he's worried for me. Marvelous. Either way, I am royally screwed. Why can't they both leave me well enough alone with my thoughts?_

She blushed slightly.

-I am taking a break so I came to see what you were doing.

-I take it you're not angry with me anymore, then?

-If we are stuck together as work colleagues and if we are going to do this job well, I don't want to have a strained relation with anyone who I collaborate with.

-Fair enough-Peter carelessly lifted his feet on the table.

-What is it that you're reading?

Peter quickly turned the cover of the book upside down so she couldn't see the title, but he wondered if he was fast enough, after having noticed Astrid's eyes widen a bit.

-A porn magazine, what else?-he grinned.

-Okay-she shook her head. –You don't wanna talk about that, that much I can see. What are you listening to, then?

-If I tell you, you won't wanna talk about it either. So as it turns out, we don't have enough topics for this conversation to continue. How about you just go back to the lab and leave me here to mind my own business?-Peter knew he was rude but he wasn't in a mood to talk to Astrid.

-You might be surprised. I like a lot of different music genres-she smiled a genuine smile.

_Why not? Let's see what she's made of._

-Ever heard of Rammstein?

-Sure, that's um… German band, right? But they were on tour here in USA as well. I have a friend who likes them.

-Well, I loved them since I was a teenager. A perfect combination of harsh and mellow sound, intriguing, perverted and violent lyrics… Everything that a growing young adult might wish for.

-But the lyrics are in German?

-Yup.

-And you understand them?

He simply nodded.

-Peter, can I ask you something?

-You just did. But shoot another one anyway.

-How many languages do you speak?

-Peter Bishop speaks five languages, has had papers published in academic journals, is an expert in chemistry, biology, medicine, computer programming, auto repair. Pretty much everything you can name. A Jack of all Trades-he recited in a bored, monotonous tone of voice.

-Impressive.

-And me listening to Rammstein on this glorious day is a theme park, really. Solution of the case is in Germany, this parasite infested guy had spent some time there… It's only fair we tune in and create an appropriate atmosphere. Also, Walter told me I'm quarter German as well, since my grandfather came here from Deutschland. Gotta keep up with your roots. So yeah, German is one of the languages I speak and understand. How about you? Apart from Latin? Anything? I know you majored in Linguistics.

-I am actually studying German now. Still fighting with the agglutinative way of noun-creating but I'll live. Can I listen to the song for a while with you?

_She really wants us to be best buddies. _

-Okay. Let's see if you can make anything out of it.

They shared the headphones, each one putting a bud into one of their ears.

After a minute or so she gave up.

-This sound is too strong for me.

-Yeah, you like jazz, I know.

-Didn't picture you for Rammstein fan at all, seeing how you play the piano.

-My favorite genre is jazz… And soul… But… I love a lot of different music genres and I have always strived to be widely introduced to as many of them as I can-Peter shrugged. –I play the piano only to impress the girls.

-So I've noticed-a sly smile spread across Astrid's face.

-Dunham? She's not a girl. She's a lean mean green machine, if you get my point. Irritating, stiff and cold. Not my type at all-Peter stated calmly, looking coolly back at Astrid.

_P-p-p poker face, p-p poker face. You ain't getting any info out of me, curly._

-The lab is kinda refreshingly quiet when she is gone, don't you think? No slave driver to shout orders at us. Hope she'll stay in Germany for a long, long time…-Peter smirked.

Having caught Astrid's incredulous look, he changed the subject.

-Music aside. What did you understand as far as the lyrics are concerned? I am curious how good your German really is.

-What's the song title again?

-Sehnsucht.

-I don't know the word but it seems to me that it is made of… Verbs like "see" and "want"… See-want. Sehn-sucht. Or something like that.

-It is, more or less. Points for you. But what does it mean?-Peter found himself enjoying their chit chat and testing her as if he were a teacher.

-Could it be, um… Wish… Or demand?

-Wish is Wunsch. Demand… Well… Nachfrage or… Bedarf. Sehnsucht is more like: "desire", "craving" or… "longing". I'll settle for "longing". Here, let me tell you how the chorus goes…

Sehnsucht versteckt

sich wie ein Insekt

im Schlafe merkst du nicht

dass es dich sticht

glücklich werd ich nirgendwo

der Finger rutscht nach Mexiko

doch er versinkt im Ozean

Sehnsucht ist so grausam

Have you understood anything?

-Ugh… I have, but… In spite of the fact you speak five languages, I must admit that your German accent is horrendous.

-Well I am not a native speaker-Peter said in a defensive tone.

-Okay… I'll try and translate the best I can.

Hidden longing

like an insect

in sleep you can not see

that it… I don't know this verb.. "sticht"… you

I'll never be happy anywhere

the finger… Um… "rutscht" Something…to Mexico

but he…. Um… Something into the ocean… "Versinkt"? Could it be "sink"? It sounds similar….

And then the last line:

Longing is so gruesome.

-"Sticht" is "sting", "rutscht" is "slip". Well done. You didn't know only two words. "Grausam" is "cruel", not "gruesome" but… Whatever. The meaning is similar. Not bad, Aspirin, not bad at all.

-The finger slips to Mexico? What does it even mean? It sounds all nonsensical and a little creepy and perverted to me. The only part I liked was when it was described how longing hides in the darkness like an insect and it stings you when you least expect it. That's a beautiful comparison.

-The meaning? It's pretty simple. The guy who sings hasn't banged a chick in a while. He misses sex. He craves it. There you have it.

-That is so crude.

-Crude is what Rammstein songs and videos, to be more precise, are all about. You can check them up on You Tube if you like. And crude is what life is about, Astrid-he rubbed his eyes tiredly. -Okay. Let me expand the meaning a bit and embellish it with wonderful metaphors so that it has a soothing effect on your ears-Peter said in a mocking tone of voice. –The song is about longing and how much it can hurt, be it longing for love, sex, or just longing to be somewhere else, to travel, perhaps even to lead another life. To be someone else.

–So who or what are you longing for?-she bumped his shoulder amicably.

_Stay out of my private life, Snoopy Agent Farnsworth._

-For you, fair Astrid-Peter leaned over to her with his tongue sticking out, feigning that he was about to kiss her, hoping she would get angry with him again.

Astrid indeed moved away from him, grossed out.

-I was kidding-he shrugged carelessly.

-You really have a funny way of joking, Peter.

-If that's what it takes for you to leave this room and leave me alone-his voice became cold and guarded again.

She shook her head at Peter but eventually really went out and back into the lab.

_Well finally. Some peace and quiet._

But instead of returning to the book, his mind snuck out to revisit the nude image of Olivia Dunham yet again.

Peter kept rolling back time to his first trip to Olivia's apartment, to the night when he saw her gorgeous body sprawled on double bed, when she'd been furiously drumming the pads of her fingers across her clit as she arched forward. Peter wanted to see Olivia's desire boil over in an explosion of cum again and again…

_Fuck. I want her here. I want her back. Now. Sehnsucht ist so grausam…_


	7. The Showdown

**PETER'**s head drooped onto his chest.

He couldn't keep his eyes open, seeing how he got only three hours of sleep that morning.

The book he was reading intently was lying on the floor, long forgotten. It fell out of Peter's limp hands.

The nature of case benefited him since there wasn't much he had to do until Olivia's phone call.

And the back room was perfect for resting, since neither Walter nor Astrid could come in and bother him, at least not unless something of significance happened.

His eyelids were rapidly travelling up and down.

Peter was dreaming of her.

Of having that woman in his grasp, powerless, consumed by the same fire that consumed his very being every day he'd lay his eyes upon that perfect body. Brought down from her iron throne. Ripe for the taking.

"_**Olivia's skin was soft, warm to the touch and thick and sweet like honey on his lips when he savored her again and again. **_

_**Peter eyed the graceful line of her neck and couldn't resist the urge to run his tongue up the curve of her throat. She released a tortured whimper that turned into a gasp of sensual surprise when he grazed his teeth over her pulse. **_

_**He trilled his tongue over the same spot and she trembled in his arms. Olivia's breasts, ample but high, were a smooth golden cream save for the pink blush of her nipples. As his lips grazed one taught bud, he watched it tighten and smirked.**_

_**Placing his hand under her spine, he lifted her so that her back arched and attacked one sweet nipple with his tongue. He laved her there, groaning at the feel of her hardening bud in his mouth. Pulling back, he extended his tongue and flicked it with a feather light lick before taking it into his mouth to suck and swirl.**_

_**Gently, he nipped her with his teeth and was rewarded with a soft gasp. He felt her body tense and then she relaxed into a moan as he switched to give the same treatment to her neglected nipple.**_

_**Peter knelt on the ground.**_

"_**I'm going to eat you until there is nothing else in your world but my mouth."-he whispered enjoying the blush that tinged Olivia's cheeks at those words.**_

_**He pressed his thumb to her clit but didn't move it, just let Olivia feel the pressure there, and put his mouth to her opening. **_

_**He slipped his tongue into her, thrusting it against the silken walls of her, until Olivia bucked against his face. Peter pressed harder on her clit and she cried out, then he moved his thumb to pull back the hood and stretch her to further expose the most sensitive point on her body. **_

_**Peter brought his tongue, the tip wet with her arousal, up to her pearl and lashed it with quick hard flicks that set her hips to writhing. **_

_**He sucked it into his hot mouth where he continued to pummel the tiny nub, and gently eased the middle finger of his other into her. **_

_**Slowly, Peter pulled it in and out, twisting to feel Olivia's walls clenching and releasing with the rhythm of his incessant suckling.**_

_**Peter lifted his head to watch his finger's slow penetration and waited for her to look down at him, animal lust in those eyes of green. When Olivia did so, her gaze crazed with pleasure, he growled. "Tell me what you want."**_

_**It took her a moment to answer, her chest heaving as Olivia struggled to catch her breath.**_

"_**You…know…what I want," she moaned as he eased his finger out of her, taking the action for what it was. **_

_**A threat to stop all together if she didn't answer him.**_

_**He flicked his tongue over her clit once and said in a stern voice, "Tell me anyway."**_

_**Hips undulating towards Peter's face, Olivia whimpered, "I want you to make me cum."**_

_**He added his index finger and lazily pushed into her, giving her more and somehow less as her body began to come down from the precipice. "How?"**_

_**-"With your tongue…with your hands," Olivia licked her lips. **_

_**-"Good." **_

_**Then Peter leisurely resumed jackhammering his fingers into Olivia in solid, fast thrusts; his mouth back on her clit.**_

_**Olivia screamed.**_

_**Olivia came hard."**_

In that precise moment, Peter woke up and jumped up from the chair, feeling his arousal straining unpleasantly against his jeans. He glanced at his watch. It was around one p.m.

_Seven p.m. in Frankfurt. _

Peter then cupped his horny cock, petting it soothingly across the denim.

-Now that's what I call a nice dream. Down, boy… I know exactly what you want but… No ice-cream for you today. Or any kind of cream for that matter.

He accommodated it better, shoving it carefully down the pants so that it would not protrude so much until he had the chance to relieve himself in the lavatory, when his cellphone rang loudly.

Peter recognized a German prefix and picked it up immediately.

-Peter?-he stilled at the whispering sound of Olivia's tender, decisive voice.

_She sounds hot when she whispers._

-Ja, meine Dame?-his quick-witted reply made her smile on the other end of the line. –What's cooking, good looking? Anything new in Deutschland?-Peter kept it casual and flirty.

_Just letting her know I'm still in the game._

-I am coming out of prison-she muttered again and this time Peter could positively hear the sound of iron bars clanging and prisoners shouting lusty words after her.

That made Peter clench his fists.

_Scum. Haven't fucked anything in a while so they got all frisky when they saw a flawless blond passing by._

_Not that I don't understand them, actually._

Someone coughed right next to Olivia and Peter enviously wondered if it was Lucas.

_Well, buddy, I hope you choke on whatever you're coughing for._

-They have already released you? I thought you were gonna stay there for couple of years, you know, to answer for all of your crimes. Congratulations in that case. I haven't organized the welcome committee for you in front of the building, though, but that just might be because I am couple of thousand miles away.

Olivia chuckled briefly and silently into the phone, without being able to stop herself, admitting inwardly that his strange macabre sense of humor was starting to grow on her.

-So what are the magical ingredients for LRP?-Peter fumbled around for pen and paper, ready to write them down.

-LRP?-Olivia was confused.

-Personally forged acronym for Loeb's reviving potion. Patented by Peter Bishop.

-Listen, Peter… That's precisely what I wanted to tell you. I haven't exactly seen Jones yet. The warden agreed but Jones… He… He sent me a message and rescheduled the meeting for the morning.

-How nice and civilized of him. Funny that a prisoner can wield such power and get to pick the rules.

-He wants the answer from his contact first. Before he gives me the antidote. The man we are looking for is local to Boston and he lives in 4331, Broad Street.

-In Saugus.

-How did you know that?

-I am local to Boston as well-he replied levelly. –There is no direction or neighborhood around here that I don't know.

-The man's name is Joseph Smith. The question is: Where does the gentleman live?

-You don't say. We are looking for a founder of the Latter Day Saint Movement and the publisher of the book of Mormon, then.

-So we need to find him and bring him in. I tried to call Charlie and Broyles. They aren't picking up. I don't understand. Could you…

-What do you need?-he inquired calmly, making sure he was giving off a secure, confident vibe.

_I am most certainly not up for running errands but… _

_If I want her to warm up to me I have to play by Olivia's rules. Keywords: make her laugh and be all sweet, gentle and kind. Do all kind of favors._

_Never fall out of character._

-I am sorry, I know it's not your job and all but… I really need someone to… Go to his place and…

-Snoop around for a bit. I get it. Do the dirty work.

-Just until I… I can get in touch with the headquarters. They are all radio silent. I… I don't get it. They must have just embarked on some sort of raid. I apologize once more for asking this of you.

-Don't you worry about a thing. I most certainly can do it. I'll call you back as soon as I've got something. Do you also want me to try to get in touch with Charlie and Broyles as well?-Peter's tone of voice successfully exuded responsibility and he grinned to himself.

_Show her what you're made of, Bishop. A true gentleman. Step by step and Olivia will take you in her bed._

-No, Astrid can do that. Thank you-she whispered tenderly.

-You are most welcome.

_Anytime, chum._

-Peter, hang on a second. What?-she giggled and Peter clutched the mobile phone in anger. Yes, tonight is fine, Luke, seeing how I already have to stay in Frankfurt till tomorrow morning. But… Can you take me to the hotel now, I really need to refresh and take a shower first…? Thank you… Peter? Are you still there?

-Yes-his tone of voice was guarded and he hoped Olivia couldn't have sensed the annoyance and irritation he was feeling at that moment.

-Call me when you have something.

-Will do.

-Bye.

-Bye-Peter ended the conversation in the same courtly way she did and barely resisted the urge not to send his cell phone flying into the wall, but just because he knew he might need it later today.

_So he's already tightening his net around her, making plans to dip his dick in. _

_And I am here and I can't do anything to stop that. Well fuck._

He got out of the back room. Samantha Loeb wasn't there any longer and Walter and Astrid were next to Michel's body, checking his vitals.

-How's he doing?-Peter inquired casually.

-The same-Walter replied with a big yawn and Peter wondered how Walter was keeping up, seeing how he slept only three hours last night, unlike himself who had the chance to doze off in Markham's bookstore and in the backroom. –I thought I heard you talk to Agent Dunham.

-Yeah, it turns out that the Frankfurt guy won't play nice and he'll tell us the ingredients for the antidote only if we go and send a love letter to some friend of his who lives here in Boston. And get a reply to that love letter.

-He is a homosexual? That is very intriguing. You know, back in the 90s, you couldn't really see many of them. A week ago, when I paid a visit to a sex shop near our hotel, I saw two men exchanging bodily fluids and I stopped to have a look. It is so interesting from a scientific point of view to see two people of the same sex so obviously loving each other.-Walter's eyes widened.

-No Walter, he is not a homosexual. And that was a joke. A wordplay, really. Spare me from describing the scenes that you might have seen. The point is: We need the info from that guy and in turn, the German guy will give us the antidote.

-But where are you going?-Astrid was confused.

-It just so happens that Broyles and Charlie are unavailable at the moment so I gotta go and check out his place. Olivia entrusted me this little mission. Gonna poke around for a bit. See what he knows. Maybe he has the info hidden at his place. Or in his hard drive. Meanwhile, if you can, you should in get touch with Broyles, Astrid.

-She told you to do that? All by yourself? But you aren't an FBI agent-Astrid said worriedly.

-Maybe not. But I do have the ability to pick any lock; I can sneak in and out of any place unseen, and Olivia knows that. She saw me at work.

-I wonder when was it that you acquired those abilities?-Walter said sadly.

-And I am curious to know when it was that you became so interested in my life, Walter. I didn't get the impression you seem to care about me before.

Astrid hurriedly moved beside Gene, petting the cow's muzzle absentmindedly, sensing a discussion in the air.

-Of course I cared about you.

-Did you now?-Peter raised his eyebrows.

Then he faced Walter with a lethal gaze.

_And here we go, ladies and gentlemen. Gunfight at the O.K. coral. The showdown. Walter and I are finally talking about this. Well, no need to be shy. I'll hold nothing back. Let me show my father how haunting the demons from the past can really be._

–Let me tell you the unpleasant truth, old man. The only thing you were ever concerned about was science. It was the center of your life. All you'd do, all you'd talk about was related to science. To playing God. Searching for the answers. While your son and your wife waited for you to come back home, all goddamned week.

Two days. That's all we would get from you. A weekend. And even then, as I recall, at Sunday family meal, you would excitedly talk about the new achievements, the new breakthroughs you got to during the week in your lab. In this sacred lab.

You even made me your little scientist extraordinaire. You wanted me to follow in your footsteps, to be like you. And science was the thing I hated the most in my life because it took the chance to have a normal family away from me.

On the other hand, your playing with fire and your obsession with science, paired with recklessness, got you exactly what you deserved and landed you in an asylum. You got what you asked for. And we were left alone.

And the funny thing was… I didn't even notice a difference. Because we have always been alone, Walter. We were always in the second place.

But it matters not. I used to care, you know, when I was a kid. Now it's all the same to me. I don't care anymore. I am a man grown. I don't need a father. I can take care of myself. I learned to take care of myself and of my mother even before I grew up completely, because there was no one else to take care of us after you were institutionalized.

But here's an ironic newsflash about role reversal for you-you can't. You need me. To get you dressed, to feed you, to walk you home from work. You depend on me. And you hate it. You hate the fact you are not whole anymore. That you can't even look after yourself. And you don't deserve me as your son.

You don't deserve me being here, doing all that. Looking after you. Being here for you. Because you have never been there for me. You've always been egotistical son-of-a-bitch. Without a doubt, the most self-absorbed, twisted, abusive, brilliant, myopic son-of-a-bitch who has ever walked this planet.

-Don't talk about things you know nothing of-Walter said, tears glistening in his eyes. –You don't know how much I love you, son, how much I loved you, you don't know what I did for you. You maybe are right about some things. I should have spent more time with you, I should have shown you my love more often, and I deeply repent for how it all turned out. I have endured my rightful punishment, Peter, after having spent 17 years in that place. It was a living nightmare-Walter swallowed. -But you are essentially wrong about one thing. The man who I was… Is not the man who I am now. I have changed, Peter.

-Yeah, I know. You've gone crazy.

-And that just might be the best thing that has happened to me. Sure, I might be forgetful and strange, but I have noticed care about other people more now. I am not as self-centered as I was. I am different now and I take pleasure in this new Walter I have become. You say that I hate depending on you. That is not true. If I were normal, you may not have thrown me a second glance. You would have left to God knows what remote place, without thinking. Now… You need to stay because I need to be looked after. A small blackmail, if you will, albeit very beneficial for me. And this is why… Being crazy, not being able to look after myself… Is bothersome, of course, but… It has actually been quite enjoyable for me. I sense that my mind is recovering more and more with every passing day. And for a very simple reason. I got you. I got my son back. You are here. With me. And your presence is precisely what restores my sanity, step by step.

Peter gulped and looked away unpleasantly as Walter grabbed him by his shoulders.

-I got another chance to have a family again, and I am going to take it, damn it. I want to get closer to you. To get to know you. To be a father you have always deserved.

Peter squirmed under Walter's tearful stare. Astrid seemed uncomfortable and sad.

-I think you are 17 years late for that, Walter. Just like you aren't the man you once were, I am not the child I once was. The child that used to believe in every word you said. Look. I am not in the mood for this kind of conversation right now. Olivia wants results. I have to go-he managed to extricate himself from his father's embrace.

-I hope that one day you will be able to forgive me, son-were the last words Walter whispered as Peter left the lab decisively, without turning around.


	8. Little Hill

**THE WIND **filled his lungs as Peter was running down the street, completely invisible to human eye.

He had just taken another dosage of the serum in the faculty lavatory, injecting it into the vein on his right hand, next to the two small holes that were already there.

_If the body matter is turning into energy, and energy is becoming dominant, as the book said…_

_I need to find another way to get rid of the excess of energy before it escalates into violence. _

_So let's start with running to places instead of driving to them._

_See if that helps alleviate the post-transformation pain. _

_I should be able to get to Saugus in half an hour if I keep up the good work. _

_Another half an hour should be enough to get the info from the guy before I become visible again._

His thoughts kept coming back to the conversation he had with Walter and to tears in his father's eyes, but Peter was decisively and successfully pushing them away.

_So he wants to redeem himself for the past sins. No use crying over spilt milk, eh Walter?_

_I… Don't wanna think about him. I really don't need that shit in my brain right about now. I've gotta focus. _

Forty minutes later, he was standing in front of Joseph Smith's house.

One minute after that, he was already in.

_Passing through the door like a boss. I'm not even nauseous anymore. Gotta love my superpower._-he grinned. _Now to see where our Mormon is. _

The house seemed empty and quiet. It was rather small and filthy. There was a kitchen full of unwashed dishes, a bathroom and a living room.

_He probably has a folding bed or something so he sleeps in the living room._

Dirty underwear was lying all around the floor. Opened suitcase caught Peter's gaze.

_Is he preparing to go somewhere? _

_Maybe he knows FBI is onto him, that they have made the connection between him and the German guy._

_But where is he?_

Bathroom door screeched behind Peter and he spun around, mindful not to collide with the occupant.

It had to be Joseph Smith.

He was coming out of the bathroom, his pants were down.

Peter winced and covered his eyes after having gotten a full view of man's crotch.

_As if I weren't getting enough of this at home._

_Okay Joseph. Let's see if you are ready to sing._

Peter pulled out a small pocket knife from his jeans and silently approached the man from behind, placing the blade on his throat.

-Good afternoon-he hissed into his ear and the man stilled immediately.

Peter frowned at the sound of his own voice.

_It's… Different. Much more guttural and deeper. It doesn't sound like my voice at all. It's as if it were a voice of a completely different person. Are my vocal cords affected by invisibility as well?_

-I'm just gonna ask you two questions and you're gonna answer them both if you wanna live. Do you understand? Nod if you do.

The man nodded, completely immobile.

-Are you Joseph Smith?

-Yes-Peter could see that the man was shivering in his grasp.

-Good. Then I'm in the right place.

-Look…I… I don't know who you are and what you want…

-Shut up! And answer this: Where does the gentleman live?

-What?-the man's voice became incredibly guarded.

-You heard me. Now answer the question.

-And why would I do that?

-Because if you don't, I'll slit your throat.

-I don't think you will.

Peter cursed under his breath.

_What kind of game does he think I am playing around here?_

-You sure you wanna try me?

-Look. I've got information. And I am the only one who has it. So you wouldn't gamble with my life, would you?

_He's got me there, darn it. But to hell with everything if I am going to show him that I am weak._

-That's true. I do need you alive. But hey, no one said anything about alive and unharmed. Here, to whet your whistle about the things to come if you don't reply to my question-Peter stated leisurely, making a superficial cut on Joseph Smith's neck. Several drops of blood fell onto the white carpet.

-Ok, ok, ok-man's breathing became ragged and quick…. –Hang on a second, man, don't butcher me over here. Who do you work for anyway?

-Let us not fall into digression. I am the one who asks the questions here-Peter pressed the blade even tighter and Smith started whimpering.

-Please, please, please… I'll tell you all you need to know…

Peter relaxed his arm a bit, celebrating his victory.

_Threaten them a bit and they go all mellow. Well. That was easy._

Seconds later, Joseph Smith's knee hit him in the crotch and he roared with pain promptly falling onto the floor.

-You really thought I would cooperate?-Smith started with a sneer but that snicker turned into bewildered facial expression after he turned around to look at his torturer and found no one there.

-Where are you?-he growled, pulling the gun out of his pants. –Where the fuck are you, you little shit?

Peter crawled away from the centre of the room and towards the nearest corner on all fours, careful not to make any sound.

_Ugh. My baby making sack hurts like hell._

-When I find you, I'm gonna kill you!-Smith screamed, infuriated.

_Just keep telling that to yourself._

Peter glanced on his wristwatch.

_Shit. Only five more minutes._

He managed to stand upright, still wincing at the pain between his legs.

_Motherfucker. I would snap his neck right now if he didn't carry the precious information inside that pompous little head of his. _

.

Peter slowly approached him once again from behind and wrapped him up in a steel embrace, forcing him to drop his gun down onto the floor.

Smith stared down his body, restrained and held by invisible force, gulping rapidly.

-Where are you?-he whispered, now truly afraid. –Who are you? Why… Why can't I see you?

-This is your last warning. Tell me the answer or I'll cut your cock off and leave you to bleed out slowly-Peter was in a retaliation mood.

-It's "Little Hill"-Smith muttered through clenched teeth.

-There you go. That wasn't so hard, was it now? That's all I needed to know.

Wailing of sirens was suddenly heard and both men stiffened in surprise, looking around.

-The feds! Shit!-Smith bellowed. –Dude… Let me go… You've got your answer now. You don't need me anymore.

His captor said nothing but Smith sensed that the firm grip he had on him was slightly loosening up.

Smith turned around and saw a young man behind him slowly coming into focus, pale and shivering, clutching his stomach.

-Feeling sick now, are you?-he leered and grabbed a huge ceramic lamp from the small round table. –Let me give you a little goodbye present before I take off-Smith grinned and smacked Peter fully on the head before he picked up his gun and went for the back door.

**BROYLES **was kneeling next to Peter, worry mirrored in his warm brown eyes.

-Bishop. Are you alright? Can you stand up?-he inquired courteously.

-Broyles? What… What are you doing here?-Peter felt like his head had been shattered into million fragments.

-I could ask you the same question. We were on a raid. We were after certain Joseph Smith since we were tipped off.

-Where is he?-Peter inquired urgently, with a sense of dread.

-He came out through the back door with a gun. He would have shot one of my men. We had no choice…

-He's dead?

-Yes. Now would you be so kind and explain what were you doing in his house?

-Olivia sent me.

-Agent Dunham?-Broyles's tone of voice was suspicious and incredulous.

-The very same. Do you know of any other Olivia around here?-Peter was becoming impatient with every passing second.

_That slow, measured pace in which he speaks. As if he were chewing on his words. Never getting to the point. So irritating._

-Why?

-The guy in Frankfurt… Said…-Peter had to stop himself to catch a breath. He was in pain. –Said he wouldn't speak to her unless she got information from Joseph Smith.

-And Agent Dunham wanted you to try and obtain that information? That was very reckless of her. To entrust such a task to…

-To whom?-Peter straightened up and stared into Broyles's eyes with furious expectation.

_Let's see if he dares to insult me._

-All I wanted to say is that you are a mere civilian consultant.

-She trusted me. That should be enough for you-Peter snarled. –Oh and another thing. She did try to contact you, and Agent Francis. You weren't there. So what was she supposed to do? She needed help urgently. And imagine what would have happened if I hadn't come here before you. You would have killed him and the answer would be lost. Your friend Loeb would be dead.

-I did not come here to argue with you.

-Pity, that-those words came out of Peter's mouth before he was aware what he was saying.

_What is wrong with me, damn it? It's as if I were looking for an excuse to fight. And that burning in my brain again… It's weaker than the last time but I can still feel its constant presence… Like a persistent beak pecking at my gray cells all the time._

Broyles narrowed his eyes.

-Is everything okay with you, Bishop?

-Fine. Everything's fine-he muttered, trying his best to look docile.

-Did you manage to obtain the information, at least?

-I did. It was…-Peter's brain wouldn't obey him.

He tried to pick out the words that he needed but they mocked him, ever elusive.

-Shit.

-What is it?

-I can't remember. Smith… He… Smacked me on the head with some kind of huge lamp before he ran away and I… I fainted. Next thing I know, you're kneeling next to me and staring into my face. But just before… Before I got hit… He told me the answer and I… Fuck-Peter kicked the nearest chair in rage.

-Calm down, Bishop.

-Don't you tell me what to do!-he grabbed Broyles by the lapels of his coat. –I've had enough of you and your short respectful little phrases –"Collaborate with us. Look after your father. Your living arrangements are temporary. Good job, Bishop." Always so civil, polite, and calm. You know what? I sometimes get the impression that you're not doing your job at all. All you do is phone Olivia, make her gather us around like a herd, tell us what needs to be done and then leave. "The who, what and why-that's you". Your favorite catchphrase for the Fringe team, isn't it?

Broyles simply watched him silently and intently and Peter half wished the man would react so that he could hit him.

-Then, at the end of the case, you simply call us again and say: "Good job". You really aren't doing anything at all, are you? Just sitting behind that massive mahogany desk in your cozy little office, waiting for other people to do the work instead, and bring you the report on the case, so that you can praise them with two little words. Do you think your praises compensate for the things those people see on the field? And what is this division anyhow? Huh? We are always too late for everything anyway-he shook him yet again, desperately, and Broyles noticed that Peter's eyes were red and that he was rapidly blinking.

-That's not entirely true.

-It is!

-Bishop. You are not feeling well. You are not yourself. Step away. You need to calm down. To get some rest, maybe.

-You don't get to tell me what to do and what I need! Not anymore! Did you hear me, damn it?

-I've heard you perfectly well. I understand you are angry with yourself for not remembering the information. But…

Peter's mobile rang in that precise moment.

-Yes, this is Peter Bishop-he replied grumpily, stepping away from Broyles who regarded him with a studying, appalled gaze.

-Peter, hey, it's Astrid.

-Hi yourself.

-Listen… Walter was worried how you were, since you went to that man's house all alone, and I wasn't able to reach neither Broyles nor agent Francis up till now, so I was gonna call you and check up on you. I've put you on speaker so that Walter can hear you too.

-I'm fine. But the news is bad. One: the guy who had the info is dead. Two: I know the info but I don't remember it.

-Peter… Peter… Can you hear me? This is your father, Walter Bishop.

-Yes Walter, lamentably, I know exactly who you are.

-What you have just said has opened two new possibilities for us to recover that information.

-Really? You gonna revive him like a good Doctor Frankenstein you are? Raise dead zombies as a necromancer?

-Don't be ridiculous. Wait for me to finish. Impatient. You always were. Do you remember what I told you about the questioning technique Belly and I used to conduct couple of decades ago?

-Yeah… You were questioning guys who were dead but no longer than six hours. Science fiction, fairy tale.

-Don't doubt me, Peter, you know the things I can do better than anyone else … The things we were able to do together, all three of us, in this very lab. You have to have little faith.

-Faith…-Peter reiterated mockingly. –Fine, shoot, what do you wanna know?

-Does he still have his head on?

-Sorry?

-His head, is it still attached to his body? If it is, and his brain is still intact, we might be able to recover that answer Agent Dunham needs.

-I haven't got the slightest idea. Hang on. I'm gonna go outside and check-Peter stepped out of the house closely followed by Broyles, moving towards Joseph Smith's body.

He recoiled at the sight.

-Sorry, Walter, no. His brains are spilled all around the asphalt. Lovely image, really. He was shot straight through the head.

-Than that's one possibility down.

-What was the other one? Humor me-Peter inquired sarcastically.

-You are the one who now has the information in your brain.

-Yes, but it's damn useless, Walter. I don't remember a thing. I might have had a slight concussion or a head trauma… I have no idea what he told me-Peter spoke faster and faster in a more and more irritated way.

-Well we might be able to find it… So to speak… It has sunk deeply but we can dive in and pull it out on the surface where you'll be able to recognize and articulate it.

-That's cute. And how are we gonna do that? You're gonna hypnotize me or something?

-That's preposterous. Hypnosis only regresses you into a determined emotional state in the past, in allows you to relive the general scenery, but it can't be used to fish for specific details and words, at least not with accuracy. We need something more precise, something that will allow you to roam the halls of your memory undisturbed and pick exactly the one you need.

-Why does all this suddenly sound so familiar to me?-Peter said with a frown. –Oh no. You're not really thinking about…

-Yes, my boy. Sensory deprivation tank.

-Is there really no other way?

-I'm afraid not, son-Walter's voice trembled a little. –And believe me… I'd rather you chose not to undertake the procedure. I know that that man's life depends on the information you have to remember but… If you enter the tank, your life may be in danger as well.

-Yeah, cut the crap about how incredibly worried you are about me. I'm going in. I screwed this thing up by letting him incapacitate me, by letting him notice me and hit me. If it hadn't been for that, I would have the answer we need right now. I have to make it right. Set it up. I'll be there in ten.

Broyles stared at him with something that was very similar to cautious admiration.

Bishop's violent mood swings were really giving him a whiplash.

-Are you truly ready to risk your life for a piece of information that can save my friend?

-And some life it is. It's not worth a penny to anyone, especially not to me-Peter growled.-And just so we're clear. I'm not doing this for you. It's for Olivia.

-Fine. You've made your choice. Let me drive you to the lab.

**OLIVIA **was sitting in Lucas's living room, enjoying the food, the music and his company. She was actually glad she accepted his invitation.

She felt strangely relaxed and she attributed that to several glasses of champagne she had already taken. It was around 10 p.m.

_It's getting a little late. Maybe I should head back to my hotel room._

_It's four p.m. in Boston. I wonder what Peter managed to find out. Did he… Get anything? He told me he'd call me as soon as he got something._

_And I wasn't able to reach neither Broyles nor Charlie. What were they up to anyway?_

Her inner monologue was interrupted by Lucas's toast.

-To us-he poured her some more champagne.

She hesitated for a while, but she drank yet another glass, feeling strangely light and tipsy.

_I can normally hold my drinks pretty well._

Her widened eyes were glowing, getting that molten amber color.

She beamed at Lucas and giggled.

It felt good to be there, to lead a small talk, to feel admired.

To be understood.

To feel like she is a woman instead of an FBI agent.

And it was so easy with Luke.

He was the familiar territory.

Olivia had always been little inept at… Romance.

She never knew how to behave, how to relax, to let a man lead…

To allow herself some quality time.

"Duty before pleasure" was Olivia Dunham's motto.

The one that had been leading her throughout her entire life.

She defended her mother from her stepfather.

She looked after her, bathed her and fed her during the last days of her life.

She looked after her sister.

But no one looked after Olivia.

Olivia wouldn't allow them to. She didn't need them to. She simply got used to do everything by herself.

_Gosh it's been so long since I… I've been in a company of a man. In this way. _

And Lucas was a good judge of character. And a good listener. She could open up to him not only as to an ex-lover, but as to a friend as well. And she knew he would listen. Listen to her telling him about John. About the man who managed to reach her heart when many others had failed before him. With his decisiveness, straightforwardness and charm. And then he had also managed to shatter her heart by betraying her.

John had broken her.

And died. He left her to live. To pick up the pieces of her mind and her heart behind.

To try to rise once again from the ashes.

Olivia had been burnt by human torch too many times.

Just this once, with John… She hoped it would be different.

But she was destroyed afresh.

And Olivia saw herself as a patchwork monster now. She had all the right parts: her head, her arms, her legs.

But she was a woman whose heart didn't beat anymore.

Who now decided to take the decisions with the only thing she had left intact: her brain.

She vaguely listened to Lucas's apologetic words. He felt he was among the men who screwed up with her. Maybe he was, she thought.

Everything was blurry in front of her eyes.

She was far away from Boston. Far away from home.

In a different country, in a different town.

Sitting with a different man.

Tonight… Just tonight… Leading a different life.

Being someone else. Not being Olivia Dunham.

Just a woman who longed for a man's touch. For closeness… For… love.

Like any other woman did. Like any other woman who wished to feel desired.

And maybe the night with Lucas would provide a temporary distraction.

"Let it be me"… The song was saying.

_And why not… _-Olivia thought…

Her senses were numbed with alcohol.

Olivia wanted this night for herself.

Until tomorrow morning, when she would belong to the world again.

-Come here-Lucas said gently, tenderly, leaning towards her.

Olivia blushed as she caught the look on his face.

It was precautious, careful, but at the same time mingled with pure arousal.

Lucas brought his hand up to Olivia's jaw.

Olivia exhaled softly at his touch, closing her eyes and taking it in as he ran his fingertips over her jaw, her lips, her cheeks, and temples. Lucas then brushed a tendril of hair from Olivia's face, tucking it behind her ear.

As he leaned in close to her, Olivia inhaled, taking in his scent as he left kisses on her jaw, then moving ever so slowly and tantalizingly to her waiting lips.

As soon as his lips touched hers, Olivia felt an electric spark. She dove right into him, deepening the kiss as much as she dared to. She brought her own hands to Lucas's neck, cradling his head as she kissed him.

Within seconds the kiss shifted again, turning into something more wanton, more lustful than before. Olivia could feel their arousal building; all she could think about at that moment was how his lips felt crushed to hers, how they would feel tracing every inch of her sexually charged body.

Lucas soon deepened the kiss even further, tracing just inside Olivia's lips with the tip of his tongue. She moaned softly, doing the same for him. She was rewarded for her naughty little deed, for he immediately brought his hand to the back of Olivia's head, ran his hands through her hair, and grasped it, pulling gently in the way he knew drove her wild.

Olivia began running her hands over his chest, feeling the soft hair that grew there.

Soon, she realized that he had pulled her on top of him; she could feel his erection pressing into her.

Lucas pulled the collar of Olivia's shirt down, freeing her left breast and gently brushing her erect nipple with his soft fingers.

Olivia moaned, feeling her abdomen tighten in a delicious way.

Lucas began to kiss her again, running his hands over her still clothed body.

Just as Olivia was reaching to take her nuisance of a shirt off, Lucas had beat her to it, taking it off slowly, brushing his fingertips over Olivia's back. She shivered at his touch, just aching for him to be inside her wanting body. Lucas then unhooked her bra, gently tugging the straps down over Olivia's shoulders, and then discarding it on the floor.

In a moment of uncontrolled lust, he grasped both of Olivia's breasts in his hands, exhaling sharply as he groped them, feeling their shape and making her gasp in pleasure.

And then the phone rang.

For Olivia, the phone meant one thing. Duty called. And she had to answer. She had to. It was an innate instinct of hers she knew she would never manage to get rid of.

Lucas seemed disappointed but Olivia couldn't think about that now.

-Olivia Dunham-she answered a bit breathlessly.

-Hey, it's Peter-he pricked his ears at her hastened breathing and at the sound of romantic song playing in the background, clenching his fists.

-Hey-she replied, slightly gaining composure, but Peter could sense she was having trouble talking.

_Is he fucking her right now? Is that what her gasps are all about?_-he thought angrily, despisingly, forgetting why he was calling and what he was going to say to her.

The notion of Olivia being under someone else, moaning lustfully as she was being pleasured by another man, as he was thrusting in and out of her body…

It drove him crazy. It made him lose control.

And Peter didn't like to lose control.

His chest heaved and he was overwhelmed with fury but he knew he had to calm down.

_Damn it, if only I knew how!_

-Peter?

-I'm here-he swallowed, squeezing the phone until his palm reddened.

-Do you have something for me? Where are you? Did you manage to get in?-Olivia wondered why Peter sounded… Scornful, somehow.

- I did. I'm in Broyles's car. Heading for the lab. -he opted for the short answers because he didn't know if he would be able to contain himself. Peter wanted to scream at her.

_I did. I got in. I risked my life and limb to get the precious information you wanted, bitch. _

_And I am about to risk my life again._

_All that while you went for a quick tumble in the sheets with your ex-boyfriend._

_She's all high and mighty with me here in the lab. Keeping her polite distance. Never lets me to even lay a hand on her._

_And then she flies off to Deutschland and spreads her legs to the first man who asks her to._

_I'll see you when you get back here, Olivia._

_There will be some change of plans._

-And what was the answer?

-I forgot-he replied coldly.

-Peter…-her voice sounded wary and disappointed. –What are you saying?

-The guy is dead, Olivia. Broyles shot him without knowing we needed him. Before he kicked the bucket, however, I managed to get the information.

-But that's good news then-she started walking around Lucas's living room excitedly, and fumbling for her bra.

-No, it's not. I don't remember what he said to me. I was careless. He smacked me on the head and there you have it. Apparently you place your trust in wrong people-he stated bitterly. -But half an hour in a swimming pool should be enough to jog my memory.

-What are you saying?-she inquired warily. –You aren't going to…

-Look, Olivia. The damned answer is here. In my head. And it's the only way.

-Peter… You know how dangerous that is…-her voice was soft and concerned.

Peter enjoyed her worried tone of the voice but he continued to torture himself.

_Like you care. _

_Like it matters to you._

He needed to… Joke around…

To feign that he wasn't about to risk his life.

For a stupid promise he made to her.

Peter thought Olivia might just as well be the only person whom he would keep his promise to.

Because she was the only person in his life who hadn't done him any wrong so far.

_Until she rode a German cock. But, it matters not. Let me be man of my word for once._

-It's just like taking a bath, really. And I figured, if you could do it, a mere chick, why not me as well?

Olivia bit her lower lip.

-Peter…

-I've thought this through. I always take care of business. I don't leave things… Unfinished.

His voice was ominous.

_God, Peter sounds like… Like a serial killer._

-Peter, please be careful.

-I'm entering the tank in ten minutes. It's… five p.m. here and eleven p.m. there. Am I right?

-Yes-she whispered, not knowing what to say.

She didn't know Peter for so long but…

His bad boy aura paired up with his carelessness and proneness to getting into trouble always subconsciously made Olivia wish to watch his back.

Now more than ever. She wanted to look after him.

He had reminded her of one of the orphans, one of the Neverland's Lost Boys and Olivia couldn't quite put her finger on it why.

-So I'll call you in an hour when I get out of the tank. Either I or Astrid, actually. At midnight. Witch hour. How appropriate, don't you think? You'll have your answer then. After that, you can get a good night sleep-he paused and Olivia's heart skipped a beat as she wondered was he insinuating what she thought he was-and go to prison in the morning.

-Okay. I… I'll be waiting for your call, then-her voice trembled a little.

-Provided I come back alive-he chuckled sardonically.

There was a silence on the other end of the line and during several seconds, all he could hear was Olivia's slow breathing.

-Well I guess that's it, then. Hasta la vista. Baby-he hung up just as Broyles's SUV approached the Harvard lab.

**ASTRID **and Walter had already set everything up and now they were eyeing him worriedly.

-Jacuzzi time-he smirked and started stripping immediately, taking of his coat, shirt, jeans and his shoes. Soon he was standing in nothing but his underwear and he winked in Astrid's direction.

-Like what you see?-Peter enjoyed confusing her.

Her cheeks reddened and she shook her head at him angrily, but then hastily went over to stand by the computer, checking and re-checking the last calculations Walter and she had made.

Walter made him sit on the same wooden stool Olivia had sat many months ago and a small smile adorned his lips as he recalled her perfect body standing there, practically naked, causing an uproar between his legs and chaos in his head.

He wondered if he would ever see her again.

_The lengths the man will go to when he lusts for a woman…_

He was careful to shield his left arm from Walter's eyes, not wanting his father to see the four visible holes that were an obvious proof of his serum injection.

-Now this electrode goes into your neck-Walter whispered, concerned.

-Of course it does. Where else would it go?

-I will first give you an anesthetic-Walter said in a trembling voice…-And then you will get a mix of…

-Ketamine. Neurontin. Lysergic acid diethylamide. I know. Walter. Could you please work in silence?

-Repeating the procedure out loud helps me focus and… In that way I am more certain I won't commit a mistake. Now…

Peter closed his eyes as the strange numbing and pleasant feeling slowly started to spread through his veins, warming up his blood. His head drooped forward.

The last thing he remembered was that Walter and Astrid were helping him to get into the tank.

Then, the sensation of cold water and…

_Peter. This is your father, Walter Bishop. The answer you're looking for is hidden in the most reclusive place of your mind. In your happiest memory. Go towards that place. Follow my voice. _

The darkness swallowed him completely.

Peter greeted it as an old friend. It was always around him and inside him anyway.

A voice was nagging at him, calling for him…. He didn't want to reply… He felt good in the darkness… No one could seek him out here… No one would drag him to the blinding light.

_-Peter… Peter do you hear me? I think he's too far deep in, Afro. _

_What if we can't reach him anymore? _

_What if I gave him the drug overdose? _

_I was so nervous when I injected him… My damned hands were shaking._

Peter was now basking in the sea of dimness of the surrounding shadows, moving his arms and his legs as if he were swimming around it.

And suddenly, he was not alone.

There were thousands and thousands lake fish playfully swimming around him in the dark water, in a synchronous rhythm and Peter surprisingly recognized them all, one by one…Bloater… Brown trout… Lake herring… Northern pike… Smallmouth bass…

They surrounded him, flashing their little toothless smiles, looking a little bit like Flaunder from "The Little Mermaid" cartoon.

Peter returned the smile, feeling genuinely content he had so many friends to swim with.

Their fins tickled him and they all carried him on their back towards the surface.

Peter emerged in the middle of the lake, coughing and splattering around.

The sun was already setting. Birds were quiet.

Everything was silent except for a hushed conversation right behind him.

He turned around. His hands were beginning to hurt from the constant repetitive swimming motion and when he started rubbing them, Peter discovered they were small.

He was a mere boy again.

Walter was sitting in the boat, next to the two fishing rods, looking twenty years younger, casually dressed, with a straw hat on his head, happier and more normal than Peter had ever seen him.

He was laughing about something.

The woman in a white dress, whom he was sitting with, was leaning towards Walter and kissing him tenderly on the cheek…

Peter swallowed hard.

He would never forget that kind, gentle pale face, those warm brown eyes and tiny palms she used to cup his face and wipe his tears with.

-Mum! Mum! Daddy! Over here! I am here!-he screamed desperately in their direction but it was as if they couldn't hear him.

They were already sailing away.

Walter and Astrid looked at each other worriedly after having heard Peter's cries from the sensory deprivation tank.

_Peter. Focus on my voice, son. Can you hear me?_

_Yes_-he replied slowly, bitterly.

Peter didn't want to be back in the lab.

Peter wanted to be aboard that boat.

_What do you see?_

_I am in the middle of the lake… I am… A ten year old boy._

_You and Elizabeth are there. In a boat. Fishing._

Walter was silent for almost an entire minute.

_Can you reach the boat?_

_No, it… It's moving away from me and I… I can't swim anymore… I don't have the strength. And all my fish friends have left. I don't want to drown…_

-Mum! Mum! Mum, please come back! Mum, I can't… I won't survive out here without you! I know I won't.

_Peter, try to focus on something else. To go somewhere else. You have to exit the lake memory right now. She can't hear you, son. _

But precisely at that moment, the woman stopped talking to Walter as if she had heard something and she turned around. She looked straight at him.

_She… She can see me. _

_No, Peter, she can't. This is just your memory of a fishing trip we did together._

_But she… She is looking at me. The boat is turning around. They are coming back for me._

-Well, well-Walter grinned, pulling him out of the water, placing him on his lap and ruffling his hair. –This just might be the biggest, bestest fish we caught today, eh, Elizabeth? You thought we were gonna forget about you, Peter? This was a father-and-son fishing trip, wasn't it? Your mother is an intruder here, I'm afraid. But the key ingredients are father and son. And look at all the fish we caught. You did a good job today, my boy.

-Thanks, Dad!-Peter said enthusiastically, hugging his father. –This was the best day of my life, coming here to the lake with you and Mum.

Then Peter felt his mother's soft arms reaching for him, fussing over Peter, worrying he might catch a cold.

She wrapped him up in red blanket and dried his skin and his hair.

He enjoyed having her around to look after him.

-Look what a wonderful gift the lake has given us today, Walter. Our very own Pinokio.

-I'm not Pinokio! I'm a real boy! Your real boy.-he protested.

-Of course you are, dear-Elizabeth's eyes were full of sadness for some reason, but she was clutching him in her arms anyway as if she was never going to let him go.

Peter promptly got lost in those brown pupils, as his palms reached for her face, caressed her cheeks, and then moved on to entangle in her hair.

Eventually, Peter laid his head to rest on her shoulder.

-I missed you so much, Mom-he muttered, feeling the tears freely flowing down his cheeks.

-I missed you too, dear.

Peter just sat there in his mother's arms, feeling safe and sound, feeling happy.

Then he sensed a pain on the both sides of his throat and clutched it, screaming.

Something was growing on his skin.

_Peter. You must get out, now. You have been in there for too long._

_Astrid! Astrid, help me open the tank door! _

Peter saw Walter's and Elizabeth's horrified faces as he felt his gills frantically opening and closing.

He couldn't survive outside…

He didn't belong there…

He belonged in water…

With his fish friends.

He had to jump back in to the lake if he were to survive.

His mother gave him a last, firm hug. She was crying.

-Go, my love.

-I love you, Mom.

-I love you too, Pete. You brave boy. Goodbye-she said, pressing him hard onto her chest. And just before Walter and Elizabeth threw him back into the water with tears in their eyes, Peter heard his mother whisper into his ear:

-Little Hill.

He was engulfed in darkness once more, but the fish that surrounded him now were not his friends, they were grabbing his arms and legs, pulling him fiercely downwards… And suddenly they all had Walter and Astrid's worried faces.

-It's LITTLE HILL!-he screamed as he fell on the lab floor, shivering with cold. –Tell Olivia that it's… Little Hill.-Peter managed to utter that final sentence before he fainted, utterly exhausted.

**FOUR **hours later, Peter was finally awake.

He was now sitting on the chair, clutching his head, drinking water Astrid had brought him, avoiding Walter's preoccupied gaze and coming down from his high, after having recovered from a long sleep.

Everything was still a bit hazy in his brain.

Empty present and happy past were merging in most wondrous ways, naked in front of his eyes, showing Peter their incredible, obvious contrast.

The images of a fishing trip with Walter and the smell of Elizabeth's hair and warmth of her embrace haunted him still mixing with the image of trembling, sick, insane, long bearded ruined old man and the lifeless body of his mother lying on the floor.

_My happiest memories. So long ago… When life was worth living for._

_And after that… Nothing but… Survival and… Pain. Loneliness. Looking after myself._

_Now the days are just… Empty… _

_Seeping through my hands like grains of sand… _

_I'm just counting down time until my life ends._

Then the lab door opened, interrupting his depressive train of thoughts.

Peter knew it was Olivia before he even turned around.

He stilled immediately and simply listened to her approaching as his breathing-pace increased.

Peter's ears were now so entuned to the rhythm of her steps after half a year of his incessant stalking. Of that never ending obsession with her gorgeous body and with her bizarre mind.

To himself, Peter seemed like a trained wolf which had long ago learned to follow and recognize the scent of his prey.

Peter was certain that by now he even knew how she breathed.

_She's back._

And that was that. He was strangely at peace again.

Olivia Dunham did occasionally have this weird effect on him.

She would always successfully transform his rage and uneasiness to the feeling of lust and belonging.

During Olivia's absence, that constant yearning and nervousness were non-stop nagging at his brain ever since she boarded that plane to Frankfurt.

But she was here again. And all the pieces clicked in their place once more.

Now everything was somehow fine. Despite what might have happened between her and Lucas in Frankfurt…

At this moment…. The moment of her arrival. Was fine.

_Or is it? _

_Is she still angry with me?_

_Was she with him? Did he manage to do the horizontal mambo?_-he grimaced at the thought.

-Peter-he heard her whisper cautiously.

-Hey. How was the flight? How are you?-he stood up, a bit insecurely and made his way towards her, taking in her attractive, tall, lean figure and piercing her inquisitively with his sapphire stare.

_She came here to the lab straight from the airport. She still has her travelling bag with her._

-I should be asking you that, Peter. Good job-her leaf green eyes flew all around his face and his body with worry, inspecting his injuries.

-Thank you. You too, I guess…Well, I screwed up the first time but I made it all better, didn't I?

-It was not only your fault. You listened to my orders. We both took a risk and… And we somehow made it through. We saved Loeb's life. Are you hungry?-Olivia inquired, feeling the need to reciprocate the enormous favor he did for her and wanting to show him that she didn't wish to dwell on his past mistake.

-Now that you're asking… Yes. I am really, really hungry and thirsty. Haven't eaten a thing all day. Well… Not since a bowl of rice Walter gave me early this morning.

-Come on. Let me buy you dinner. You really deserve a treat-she said amicably.

-Well, I never say no to free food and beverages. We can pay a visit to that diner nearby. Keep it simple. I could go for beer, burger and fries.-Peter replied hastily.

_And I never say no to some time alone with you, Olivia. Which I can use to charm you. What an unexpected turn of events. And who's to say it's bad to follow orders? Maybe I'll get a kiss she owes me from that bench. Because… You know. It's the second time I am really helping her and contributing to cracking the case. So maybe it's gonna be easier to woo her this time round-_he smirked.

Before they headed out from the lab, Olivia left her bag in her improvised office and stopped to look at now recovering Michel Loeb and his wife. They were firmly embraced and it seemed as if they were never going to let go.

-Look at that-she whispered tenderly.

Peter glanced casually towards the couple.

-Yeah, look at that-he reiterated her comment simply to appease her.

_Why do girls always get worked up about romantic scenes? Relationships and marriages are never romantic. It's a simple exchange of goods. Girl gives her good looks and a lot of sex and guy gives his wallet and financial security so that she can have nice clothes, nice house, her manicures, pedicures, good education for her children. Money makes the world go round. Or what a smart ass Spanish writer-philosopher Francisco de Quevedo would say: "Poderoso caballero es Don Dinero". That's what the fuss is all about. Do you ever see a lovely lady holding hands with some poor hobo? No you don't. She knows how to cash in that body. Does Olivia really think Samantha Loeb would have married this guy if he hadn't been loaded with cash, being an FBI agent and all that? Just because he has a pretty face? Or because she is somehow enamored with his lovable character? I don't think so._

Peter frowned looking at her petite frame.

_But… Hold it… She seems to be the only exception from that rule. Olivia is… Well. Olivia. She doesn't care about money or status or… Pretty much about anything. She is beautiful but selfless. She cares about saving other people. More than she cares about her own wellbeing. And that's… Strange. She is all strange, come to think of it. And I am not sure if I will ever understand her. _

Peter swallowed a bit regarding Olivia for a while longer, thinking how he had never met anyone like her before, until she turned around and faced him beaming.

-Let's go-she muttered gently.

Then he hurried a bit in front of Olivia and opened the door for her.

She briefly nodded in thanks flashing a broad surprised smile at his gesture.

Peter felt his lips widen in a grin instinctively in return.

-You know the saying, Dunham: gentleman in the streets, thirsty thug in the sheets.

Olivia promptly blushed without commenting on what Peter had just said.

_And that is not all, sweetheart. I forgot to tell you that the main reason why men open doors for ladies and walk behind them is so that they can check out their fanny. _

_And the fine heinie you've got too. Yup. Seen it many times before, what with you prancing around the lab all day… Seen it when you were having a shower… And boy do I like seeing it over and over again_-Peter's gaze lingered on Olivia's backside for a while as she was exiting the lab, and then the two of them started towards the diner.


	9. The Goal

**Hi guys, I hope you like the rate at which I am updating this fic… **

**It will have a lot more chapters. It might get to 20, 25 or so. **

**As far as Peter is concerned. I see you are all sad because of his behavior. **

**I wanted the story to take a little detour and to intensify that criminal and con-man trait we were so often hearing about but didn't have a chance to see on the show except maybe in 3x10 with Shapeshifter killing and Season 5 when he lies to his family about the Observer tech. **

**Peter is "black". **

**He grew up among the criminals and adopted their way of thinking. His daddy issues are making him despise his father and the serum is occasionally making him violent.**

**Olivia is "white". **

**He does not love Olivia yet. **

**He lusts for her and she puzzles him. But no love here still, nope. :( **

**The "direct" redemption will come but it will come late. **

**You'll slowly be able to see Peter becoming better and better until final redemption. **

**Beware of violence and weird kinky smut! **

**This is an extremely long Polivia chapter.**

**Sorry to disappoint you now. :( **

**More bad Peter. :(**

**IT **was a pleasant April night. It was warm out in the street and Peter promptly took off his peacoat, placing it carelessly over his left hand.

_The time might come soon for the leather jacket. _

_Too bad. Girls are mostly partial to the peacoat in general, while they don't really like my jacket that much._

_Let's see if I can do something about this desire of mine tonight._

_If I can finally reach my goal._

_Luckily Astrid said she was gonna take Walter back to the hotel._

_Didn't wanna have him on my hands as well._

Olivia briefly, instinctively glanced at his chest and his wide shoulders with appraisal.

He was wearing a white shirt, with a light grey pullover over it, looking like a college kid or some kind of goody-two-shoes.

Olivia thought Peter looked at least five years younger than he really was, and as far as she knew, they were the same age.

_I think he's even a month older than I am, actually._

He was carelessly kicking stones around the street, looking down at the asphalt.

Like a boy in a personal game he had invented for pastime.

There were three tiny holes on the back of his neck and Olivia knew very well that it was the electrode scar. After all, she had been wearing one for couple of days after she was submerged in the sensory deprivation tank.

She noticed that Peter also had a big bruise on the side of his head.

_That must be where Joseph Smith hit him._

Olivia never thought she would say that, but Peter was doing an excellent job lately and he was becoming a member of the team more and more with each passing day.

Instead of grumpily obeying her orders and dragging Walter around with a permanent scowl on his face that was saying "I-do-not-want-to-be-here", Peter was actually starting to behave normally.

He was kind enough to her, he even joked around and he started to seem more at ease in the laboratory.

Astrid was still complaining about his behavior but Olivia thought Peter simply had a strange demeanor because of everything he went through as a child.

_It must have been hard for him. To live without his father for so long and to be on his own. I wonder where his mother is. _

_I've noticed certain… Tension between Walter and him at the mention of Peter's mother._

_He never told me anything about her. Maybe he simply still can't open up to me about that._

When Peter noticed she was looking at him, he flashed a wide smile which Olivia hesitantly returned.

_I wonder what she thinks of me. And if she has changed her initial opinion about me. If I want to get closer to her, I need to keep leaving a good impression on Olivia._

_Well, you know what they say. "The attack is the best defense"._

-A penny for your thoughts-he motioned towards Olivia with his head as they were approaching the diner.

-I was just wondering how you were, Peter. If your scar hurt.

-Which one? I happen to have several of them.

-The one on your neck.

-Oh, you mean the electrode vampire bite? Nah, I'm good. Look, we're here. Great. I'm starving.

-Well the dinner is on me-she smiled at him. –You can eat as much as you want.

-If you knew how much I can eat, you would regret having said those words.

Olivia opened the door this time hurrying in front of Peter, pushing them away strongly and Peter smirked.

_Well, that's just like her. She wants to show the world what an independent, big girl she is._

_That, and that we're here as friends and nothing else._

There weren't many people in the diner that evening and most of the tables were empty.

Peter thought that was a good thing, seeing how he didn't have to shout at Olivia from the other end of the table. His stomach rumbled at the sight of hamburgers and fries other guests were consuming.

_I know it's unhealthy to eat fast food but… I haven't eaten anything all day. _

-I'll go and place the order, and you can find us a table-Olivia smiled. –What did you want to eat?

-I could go for two hamburgers and two portions of fries… And one beer. For a start. You probably want a salad-he grinned at her.

-How did you know that?

-I saw you tossing the donut Astrid gave you into the garbage the other day. So… You don't wanna gain weight? Is that it? Didn't picture you for the type.

-No, it just so happens I don't like donuts and I didn't want to offend her. I was in a hurry as well. And I love salads.

-Okay. But... Still…You could've given the donut to me instead of ruining it.

-Disappointed?-she teased him and blushed when he leaned towards her with a strange glitter in his eyes.

-No, actually. I'm gonna let you in on a secret-Peter whispered in her ear and Olivia shuddered a bit.-I like to eat healthily too. For instance, all I eat for supper are cereals. And milk. It's like… There's nothing else there in our fridge. I am especially partial to cornflakes. Ever since I was a kid.

-Really?-Olivia turned towards him, surprised. –Me too! That's all I would ever eat for supper as a kid and I still do it now! I wonder how come I wasn't diagnosed with something. You could say I'm a cornflakes girl.

_She took the bait. _

_She has no idea I had that privilege to rummage through her sadly empty refrigerator._

-You don't say. Could it be that you and I have something in common, then, Dunham? Me and you of all people? How's that for a surprise?

She chuckled tenderly and caressed him with her eyes.

Peter fidgeted for a while, caught in the light green web of her mesmerizing gaze like a helpless horny fly.

_She's so hot when she chuckles._

_Would've kissed her right now if I dared to._

-Okay, boss. Gonna go find us a table then.

_It really is a surprise_-Olivia thought, standing by the counter, while she was waiting for their order.

Peter could be cute and charming when he wanted to.

But there was something under that external, easy-going small talk he would always lead with her.

And Olivia wasn't certain what exactly it was but it seemed… Like a black hole… Full of nothingness and of some kind of malevolent sadness or… Violence?

Just covered up with several superficial, careless wolfish, seductive smiles thrown over it and with a varnish of faux-innocent light blue childlike gaze.

Peter would sometimes puzzle and scare her simultaneously, even though Olivia couldn't really understand why.

But what frightened her most was the way she had actually started to notice such details as far as Peter was concerned. She started paying attention to him way too much for her own good.

Especially to his looks.

Ever since the day he played the piano for her, Olivia thought she should start distancing herself from Peter Bishop. Because of the strange, uncanny way in which he had started intriguing her and which she couldn't control.

He was magnetically attractive and she had sensed that on her own skin since the very first day she'd met him. Of course, he truly was a massive pain in the ass and as irritating as she had imagined, but he was really handsome.

And not in a traditional meaning of that word.

Olivia couldn't exactly explain to herself the effect Peter Bishop had on her. And on all other members of female species, to be precise.

He looked nice. At first sight. He gave away the vibe of the clumsy good-natured boy.

_Nothing farther from the truth_-Olivia thought.

Any girl would probably think of him as "cute" or "ok". Maybe even "passable" or "nothing special".

There were many men out there who looked exactly like him.

Blue eyes, stubble and short hair. She still wasn't sure what color his hair was, somewhere in between chestnut and auburn.

But it wasn't just his looks.

The moment he would "engage" in action, so to speak, started walking, talking, smiling or looking at you… You would be put under his spell. It was as if he could hypnotize everyone with his deep voice, his eyes and his smile.

Olivia resisted his charms for a long time, mostly rolling her eyes when he would crack a joke, even though she would find it extremely funny. That was her way of showing him what kind of relationship she wanted it to develop between them. Professional one. And nothing else. But still she couldn't avoid eying him every now and then or watching him as he worked with his father and Astrid.

Olivia wondered if he had noticed it. She really hoped he hadn't.

Ever since the night of her birthday, she felt so strange as far as Peter was concerned. She wasn't sure if he was making a pass at her or not that evening but… She moved away from him just in case and left it at that.

She couldn't be with him. Not now.

True, Peter was eye-catching and smart. He made her laugh. But she knew that deep inside, she still loved John.

And she wasn't certain how serious Peter was about his feelings.

Not to mention she still didn't know Peter that well and she didn't understand the nature of his feelings either and he wouldn't speak up.

He was incredibly guarded and private and that was what made Olivia suspicious.

Olivia was positive she didn't need her heart broken yet again.

She didn't deny sparks were flying always when the two of them were near or talking to each other. It was happening right now as well, tonight, and even much before they sat and had dinner together. The sexual tension definitely existed.

Peter was a pleasant and charming company. She simply decided to enjoy it.

She didn't want to ruin their friendship with casual sex.

It was different with Lucas. He was an ideal candidate for that.

They weren't meant to be together. They had already tried and it didn't work out.

He was also living in a different country.

She could have slept with him last night.

But she didn't because all she could think of was Peter in the sensory deprivation tank so she excused herself and went back to her hotel room.

If she would ever consider Peter to be something more than a friend to her, it would be for a serious relationship, not only for a temporary satiation of her lust …

And it would probably be much, much later, Olivia thought.

When they got to know each other better.

When she recovered from her grief and when she was able to approach him as a whole human being.

And even then, only if all the pieces of the puzzle came together. If neither of them was seeing someone else. If Peter was still interested. She had a vague feeling he was a flirt. Olivia wasn't certain Peter would "wait" for her, so to speak.

_Maybe by behaving like this… I will miss on the opportunity to… Try with him. But it's a risk I have to take. Now is not the right time. I don't want a relationship with anyone. I don't have strength for a new start yet._

_It's hard to live alone. _

_It's hard to fall asleep alone hugging your own pillow._

_It's hard not to have regular sex. _

_To wean off of that amazing, relaxing feeling of climax while being wrapped up in strong man's arms._

_Not to mention all the health benefits that it used to bring me… _

_I lost some weight._

_I had less pimples. I wasn't as stressed as I am now. _

_And I definitely felt better about myself. I was happier. I didn't have weird self-esteem issues._

_God, I even slept better._

_But I don't want to have sex with Peter. Not now._

_He has started to grow on me in a different way. _

_He means something more to me than just that._

_It would be so much easier to carelessly sleep with someone I didn't know at all. _

_To sate my cravings with anyone, really. _

_A person without a name. Without a face. _

_A stranger from my dream… If he were real_-she smiled to her own fantasy.

_Because otherwise it would be just hard. I never knew how to separate emotions from sex._

_I can't start a new relationship, invest in it, lose everything all over again, get hurt again._

_I just… Can't. I am barely walking around after John's death as it is, and thanks to the fact that I am burying my head in work, I am hiding behind my job._

She took a deep sigh.

-Hi, here's your order… That would be 29.86-a kind female voice interrupted Olivia's strain of thoughts.

-Oh, thank you. Here's 30 dollars. Keep the change.

-Thank you! Enjoy your dinner.

Peter was suddenly behind Olivia again and she winced a little, not accustomed to not being aware of someone's presence.

He reminded her of a shadow, and a sneaky one at that. He managed to approach her without Olivia even noticing and you couldn't say that for just anyone.

-Why don't you let me carry the tray?

-Don't be silly, Peter, I…-she stopped in the middle of the sentence when his hands reached for the tray brushing her waist in process and sending goosebumps down her spine.

-Look. Don't go all feminist on me. I am not belittling your worth as a woman. I am simply stating the fact that biologically, men are stronger than women. There's too much food and drink there on the tray and I don't wanna risk my hamburgers and my beer ending up on the floor. Not that this nice lady wouldn't have given us the new ones for free, but then we'd have to wait for yet another ten minutes and I am just not sure if my stomach has that kind of patience.

The girl behind the counter was now gawking at Peter with a silly smile.

She seemingly had eyes only for him and Peter sized her up briefly with a pleasant grin more out of custom than out of real interest, before indeed taking the tray away towards the slightly isolated table he had chosen for the two of them.

Olivia noticed the exchange and the envious look the girl had posteriorly cast in her direction.

She could see the waitress staring a bit despisingly at her tousled hair, carelessly pulled up in a simple ponytail, her face without a make-up, her formal attire and her strange shoes.

Olivia just shook her head incredulously.

_She envies me for simply being in Peter's company. After merely seeing him for half a minute. _

_I guess his charismatic spell worked instantly on her too. _

-You comin'?-Peter inquired, with an inquisitive glance and a friendly motion of his hand. –Your salad is getting cold-he joked. –You should dig in as soon as possible. It'll taste awful later.

Olivia wondered how it was possible for Peter to turn almost each of his sentences into a witty or sarcastic comment.

_He would actually do great as a stand-up comedian._

Sometimes, just being around him in the same room meant your lips were always unavoidably widened in a smile.

And that was a good thing. She knew she needed to smile more often.

Olivia approached the table and sat opposite Peter, taking off her black trench coat.

Peter's eyes reacted instinctively to that movement, lingering on the opening of her pristine white shirt and daringly sizing up her cleavage while she was turning around to hang her coat behind her, on the chair.

_Those boobs. Just so damn appeasing. I swear, if Olivia wore a simple sack, she would still look as attractive and all of her curves would be showing anyway. Olivia just can't hide that body of hers with those weird dark mannish clothes, no matter how hard she tries. Not from me at least. I've seen the whole package already._

Peter then fully focused on the food, shoveling fries into his mouth with his both hands and chewing loudly. He was starving. He wolfed both portions down in less than a minute and he was halfway through his first hamburger when he noticed her amusing, tender gaze with which she was observing him.

-What?-he mumbled with his mouth full of meat and salad. –I know it's bad table manners but… I'm famished.

-Nothing-Olivia just shrugged her shoulders. –Cute.

_He looks like an overtly hungry child._

She remembered a book she read long time ago, about a boy from the orphanage, Oliver Twist and she half expected Peter to look at her, after he had finished with the food, and tell her sadly: "Please lady, I'd like some more".

Peter pointed at his full mouth with his forefinger. –Cute? You have a funny way of describing "gross and disgusting". Sorry, I'll just… I'll devour the other burger in a sec and then I will be able to talk to you like a normal person.

Olivia paid attention to her salad next and gave a good excuse to Peter to observe her freely. He had to admit that he somehow felt better with her around than with her gone. Now when Olivia was back it was as if everything was in its right place.

Probably because she could find good in everyone and because she actually praised him occasionally instead of disappointedly criticizing him like his father used to do.

Peter unhurriedly sized up her narrow, round shoulders, those long slender fingers, big, beautiful eyes and sleek pale gold hair.

_Come to think of it, I think this is actually the first time we're eating together. She has different table manners than I do, that's for sure. She eats like a fuckin' princess. _

_And the way in which she parts that mouth to swallow her food… Makes me lean over the table and suck on her lips._

_Olivia Dunham is incredibly sexy and she's not even aware of it._

After they had both eaten, and after Peter assured her he didn't want anything else, leisurely sipping his beer, he suddenly recalled something and stood up.

-Do you want to call it a night?-she inquired, not understanding where Peter was going.

-Nope. Not yet. Not for a little while at least. I'm not in a hurry. How about you?

-I am too tired to start writing the report for Broyles tonight. I could stay here for a while longer and then I'm going to go straight to bed. God, the flights were exhausting. And to think that during the last 24 hours, I spent twelve hours aboard the plane.

-My last 24 hours were great. Much better than yours, actually. I spent a lot of time resting, sleeping sprawled on the floor of Smith's house and then I went for some swimming in the tank, just to continue with the relaxation. Hang on a sec-Peter muttered in her ear, moving away from the table.

He walked toward the jukebox in the centre of the diner and inserted a coin inside. Then he promptly returned to her.

-Mystery selection, coming up.

-Is it: "Taking care of business"?-she teased him. –You sounded so serious and ominous over the phone when you were telling me you are entering the tank, you said something along the lines "I never leave things unfinished, I always take care of business".

-No-he chuckled, raising his eyebrows in surprise. –You've heard of that song? I actually love Randy Bachman. I can play that song on the piano.

"One, two, three

We be takin' care of business

Every day

Takin' care of business

Every way

I've been takin' care of business

It's all mine

Takin' care of business and working overtime"-he sang the chorus quietly, rocking his head in motion of the song.

-You really have a nice voice-Olivia complimented him.

-There's just something about this song that-he beamed but then his face became guarded and Peter frowned once again. It was unbelievable how Olivia was somehow able to make him open up without him even realizing and he wasn't sure he wanted to tell her so much about himself.

-What?

-We used to sing this song way back when we worked for Big Eddie. Me and ma men.

-Criminal mood-enhancing song?-Olivia smiled but there was sadness and probing in her eyes.

-Something like that-he sipped his beer again, looking away from her curious gaze. –I had many good friends among them. Some of them were like brothers to me and we… Well, we were making the job more bearable in a way, by singing this song.

Olivia didn't know what to say to that, but then she recognized the melody that was heard from the jukebox and her mouth widened in a childish, incredulous smile.

-Peter, this…

-That's my favorite song from Barry White. I kinda hoped you'd like it. I wanted to share it with you-he said calmly, eyeing Olivia with interest.

_And yours, I guess. It better be, seeing how you played it on repeat the first night I visited your apartment as an Inviso-man._

-Satin Soul…-Olivia's eyes were moist and Peter suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. –When me and my sister were kids… Our Dad used to put us to sleep and wake us up with precisely this song. It's the fondest memory I have of him.

She looked at Peter so tenderly, as if she had been seeing him for the first time, and he fidgeted a bit.

_Maybe I went too far. But how the heck could I've known what the song meant to her?_

-So you like Barry White?

-I do.

-Well you weren't so nice to me when I played one of his songs the other day in the lab.

-Peter… That was different. The man was practically on his deathbed. "Playing Your Game" is a great song but… We were in the middle of the case. Sorry if I was too rough on you.

_She remembers the song I played._

_Kudos for me._

_On the other hand… It just might be that photographic memory of hers._

-Speaking of the case-Olivia went on. –How did you manage to enter Joseph Smith's house? And how did you convince him to give you the answer we needed?

-I am surprised you are asking me that question, Agent Dunham. Wasn't the way I entered my childhood home proof enough for you?-he grinned mischievously.

-So you picked his lock as well?

-Yup. Like a boss. He was in the bathroom, he didn't hear me coming. Later I used… Some of my convincing methods and I got the info, but the…-Peter managed to abstain from swearing in front of Olivia and saying words like "bastard" or "motherfucker"-but he hit me on the head during the moment of carelessness.

-Peter, that was dangerous. He could have hurt you real bad-Olivia said worriedly, deciding not to ask what "convincing method" did exactly Peter use because she was certain she didn't really want to know.

-Nah. I'm a pro as far as those things are concerned. The only problem would be if he had a dog. But he didn't. Our Rufus was nice enough, but man, was he rough with strangers! No one could have stolen anything from us while he was around-Peter grinned at the memory of his childhood dog.

-I've never had a dog-Olivia said dreamily-but I would like to. Such love and devotion they can give. Sadly, my apartment is not big enough for them. And I believe it's not good to keep a dog in the house. I wish I had a big garden.

-Pooches are great-Peter started enthusiastically, happy he could talk to someone about the appreciation he had for dogs. Most of his ex-girlfriends didn't like dogs, since they frequently labeled them as smelly, drooling hairy monsters. –Rufus and I were best buddies. We both had trouble sleeping. I had weird nightmares; he had issues with loud noises. So we would hug each other and everything was fine-Peter tensed after having realized he had perhaps told Olivia what he hadn't shared with anyone else during the course of many, many years but when he looked warily up at her he found nothing but genuine interest and care in her eyes and it made him relax.

He cleared his throat, confused with the surprising warmth that had been spreading throughout his chest and hurriedly made a turn in a conversation, wanting to score yet another point.

-Dogs are cool, I agree-Peter reiterated. –But cats… I don't like cats too much. They are cute, I'll give them that. However, they are a mere décor in the house. Pretty self-sufficient, you can't play as many games with them as you can with dogs, they don't like to be cuddled and bothered unless they want to… They only come to you when it's feeding time… They love being on their own and you have to do everything according to their terms.

Olivia thought Peter actually reminded her of a giant, cautious, independent cat who would never let its guard down in front of anyone, not for anything in the world and she wondered sadly what had the world done to him to make him so embittered.

She stopped dwelling on those sad thoughts after having heard his next words and her face shone one more time.

-Now budgie is a pet I like. Tiny, incredibly intelligent, beautiful, you can get them to talk… And they do bond with their owners pretty fast if you are patient and kind enough-he finished, casually glancing at his watch.

_Touché, Dunham. _

-I couldn't agree more!-she exclaimed. –I love budgies. I actually have one at home.

-Really now?-Peter feigned interest.

-Yes, I've bought him…-she paused. –Six months ago.

_When her beau died. Well, that figures._

-So what's his name?

-Lemondrop-she admitted a bit shyly.

-Nice. I like the name. So I take it he's yellow, then.-Peter lied, smiling, not wanting to embarrass her with his sniggering.

He liked seeing Olivia showing… Well… Any kind of emotions: shyness, enthusiasm… Her face was mostly expressionless and serious during the cases they were cracking together in the lab. –So has he bonded with you, does he talk?

-Yes, he really loves me, he's not afraid at all when I pull him out of the cage… I guess that must be because he was really young when I bought him, maybe three months old or so. He can say "Liv"-she grinned proudly.

-Pff. And that's what you're proud of? That's easy, I can say that too-Peter joked and their eyes collided for a moment, mirroring simple happiness and content that they were there together, chatting about this and that.

It was a strange experience for both Peter and Olivia, to open up so much to another human being, to… Share. And suddenly they both felt uncomfortable, they both wanted to end it.

Peter even more so. He felt a tiny weak bond that formed between them and he didn't want it to be strengthened.

_Sex. Not love. That's what I'm after. _

_Because sex… Carnal pleasure is what's real. Love isn't. Love doesn't exist anyway. It's just a biochemical reaction to ensure our genes are passed on and our species doesn't die out. Why do we make it so important? _

_I guess it's the same as it is with the religion. We want to believe there is something more, that there is something beyond death. We can't accept our own end. _

_So girls want to believe there is something more beyond fucking. While there isn't. Love and marriage: equals fucking. We can make it romantic fucking but it's fucking nevertheless._

_At least for guys. _

_I mean, have you ever seen a sexless, platonic, unconditional love marriage? _

_Marriage is all about sex. If it weren't then we wouldn't be able to discern our girl friends from our girlfriends. If all the wives of the world would stop giving sex to their husbands all men would have either promptly divorced or found a mistress, staying in marriage for the kids._

_There are three options, really: 1) If you are hot and confident guy you simply marry the one who is the hottest one of them all to you, the one who is best in bed, so that you can keep fucking her for the rest of your life. 2) If you are hot and insecure you marry some ugly girl, a good housewife, who will admire you and dote over you until the rest of your life. You can fuck her, or fuck on the side. Or both, really. And 3) if you are ugly: there is an a) and b) to that. You can be ugly and rich and then you'll marry the one who is the hottest of them all to you, the one who is best in bed. If you are ugly and poor you probably won't marry at all. Maybe if a merciful soul has pity on you._

_I am hot and confident. But I don't want to marry the hottest chick. I wanna bang all the hot chicks there are. Say no to the marriage._-Peter smiled, congratulating himself inwardly on the excellent wordplay.

-We made quite a digression-Olivia smiled, changing the subject, seeing him pensive. –How did we even start talking about budgies?

-I was saying how good it was that Smith didn't have a dog and that was what triggered the "ideal pet" talk.

-That's right, now I remember-she nodded. –Peter-she looked at him with gratitude and genuine affection. –Thank you so much for what you did. Without you, Michel Loeb wouldn't have survived. You have truly become a very important part of the team. I am glad you didn't… Chose to leave-she blushed, staring at her plate and Peter sensed his opportunity.

-Well it wasn't just me, Olivia-Peter placed his hand over hers. You were great too. You are a true leader of Fringe division-he flattered her, feeling that her hand trembled slightly in his.

_Chemistry. That feeling of deep arousal a woman gets when she's with a guy who attracts her. Call the sensation what you will: sparks, butterflies… Olivia Dunham is experiencing it right now with me_-he thought victoriously.

-But you know what's really great? It's great we did it together-he muttered huskily and she raised her eyes to look at him, compelled by the tone of his voice.

_It's now or never, Bishop_-Peter thought._ Attack mode on._

And there it was, that moment Olivia dreaded.

The bench scene all over again. Peter's azure pupils were pinning her mercilessly to the spot and she gulped a little, staring at him as well, not being able to avert her gaze.

But Olivia managed to rapidly sober up when Peter gently licked his lips and leaned slightly forward. She couldn't. She said to herself she wouldn't.

-Peter-Olivia made a small halt movement with her right palm before he could advance any further.

He cast his eyes downwards, pausing in mid-air.

-I'm sorry. I just… I just need to get some air-she whispered and stormed out of the diner. Peter frowned, picking up the stuff she left behind and placing her trench coat over his hand.

He started out after her, after not having accepted the rumpled piece of paper on which the waitress from the diner had scribbled her mobile on.

He found Olivia outside, gasping deeply, rubbing her hands together.

Olivia felt him approach. He was waiting in silence. She didn't know what to say, how to… Express what she felt. But this was already the second time it was happening and she owed him that much. She owed him an explanation.

-Peter, listen.

-Okay. Look, Olivia, you don't have to say anything. I pretty much got the picture-he scratched the back of his neck, looking nervous and…

_Annoyed?_-she wondered.

-It's just…

-Are you seeing someone?-the question was asked out of the blue, casually but directly, as his pupils glinted feverously in her direction for a moment.

_Someone as in: the German guy._

-No, I… I…It's not that.-she bit her lower lip, searching for the exact expression that wouldn't hurt him, that wouldn't drive Peter away.

_Well, one competition down_-Peter thought.

-It's him, isn't it? John…Scott…-Peter stretched the last two words as if mocking them.

-Yes, Peter, but… It's not just about him… It's about me… I… I think I am not ready now. I'm sorry, Peter, I think it's just not the right moment for me… I need time. We… We could be friends for starters and see where that takes us-she didn't dare to look him in the eyes.

-Fine-his voice was deep, guttural. –Fine-he repeated, handing the coat over to her.

-Peter?...-she glanced up, she needed to know he really meant it.

His eyes were sealed off. Dark. Completely unreadable.

Olivia placed her hand over his. –Are you okay with this?

-Sure-Peter shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. –Don't worry about me. I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself. I'll survive-he chuckled a bit bitterly and Olivia frowned, scrutinizing his face for a little while longer before she nodded.

The ten minute long walk back to the lab passed in an uncomfortable silence.

-You want me to drive you to the hotel?-Olivia offered when they were at Harvard university grounds again, faux-cheerfully, half-hoping he wouldn't accept.

-Nope. No need to. I gotta clean up some stuff in the lab anyway and then I'll take a walk back home. I'm gonna wait until Walter is firmly asleep. Don't want him to sneak up on me and jump on the sofa while I'm sleeping. Really not something you wanna wake up to, like I've already told you. It's a lovely night for a walk anyway, wouldn't you agree? It would be a shame for it to go to waste.

-Okay-she didn't insist again. –So I'll see you tomorrow?

Peter simply nodded.

-Good night-she said, before heading back to her car.

-Good night-Peter replied dryly.

**WHEN **Peter entered the lab, he banged his fist on the wall.

He knew it was stupid and irrational but he couldn't help himself.

Peter was incredibly angry with himself.

For that moment of hope that she might lower her guard down and give in, he actually idiotically gave his game away.

_But who could have known she was such a tough nut to crack?_

_She seemed interested. It seemed as if I got to her. _

_I am normally good at reading women when it comes to their melting point._

_Well I hope she won't throw pity glances my way every day in the lab, starting now. _

The hottest woman he had ever seen was at the same time the biggest emotional wreckage.

_John in her head, Jack Rabbit between her legs. _

_Where does that leave me?_

_How's that for a bad luck?_

_She needs time._

_Time? Time for what? What does that even mean?_

_So she's putting me on ice?_

_Well, that's a first one._

_What's not to like about me?_

_Come on. _

_Three day stubble. Charming smile. Color shifting eyes. How cool is that, anyway? Light blue plaids. _

_Other girls would succumb to my charms in a week top. _

_Every. Single. Girl. _

_Whenever I talk to them in the street, on the bus, or at the supermarket or… Wherever, really. They all start smiling like crazy, blushing and giggling._

_Like if I… _

_If I would just walk into a discotheque and pointed my finger at any girl that was dancing there at the podium… At any girl I wanted… She would follow me into my bed without a question._

_Some other girl would at least have let me kiss her after all I've done for her._

_But not Olivia._

_And it's her I want. _

_Thrill of the chase… Thrill of the chase, Bishop._

_What was it that Markham said: "It's easy for you, rugged good looks, baby blues, you just need to smile in their direction and they'll spread their legs for you"? _

_Something along those lines. Clearly, there are exceptions to that rule._

_Or should I say: there is one exception to that rule._

_Iron Maiden keeps herself to herself. _

"_I'm sorry, Peter… I guess… It's just not the right moment for me."_

_I did everything right._

_And I failed._

_Damn it._

_I lost the battle._

_Not the war._

_I am not giving up._

_It won't end like this, Olivia Dunham._

_I am a spoiled brat, what can I say?_

_And I always get what I want._

_Or whom I want in this case._

_You couldn't pretend you weren't attracted to me, sweetheart._

_You reacted even to the simplest touch._

Peter recalled the night in which he kissed and fondled her breasts and the way she enjoyed his strokes.

_One way or another._

_I will have you. _

_It's time for a different tactic._

_It's time for a change of plans and role reversal._

_Initially, I wanted to use invisibility to snoop around, to get more info on Olivia and then use that to seduce her and flirt with her while visible._

_I can still do that but, apparently, I will have to use my invisibility not only to spy on her, but to get some as well. _

_Seeing how she put me on ice and all. I won't be able to get to her so fast in a "romantic" sort of way._

_At this rate, I might have to wait for several months until Olivia deems herself "stable" for a new relationship. _

_She trusts me, she wants us to be best buddies. But she won't fuck me._

_Well then I just have to be someone else. Someone she would fuck. _

_And luckily, I have a serum to help me with that._

**IT **was around midnight when Peter stepped through Olivia's apartment door wearing nothing but a shirt and jeans. He left his coat and his pullover in the lab.

His feet instinctively took him to her bedroom.

To the goal.

Olivia was already fast asleep. She was wearing nothing but a tank top and a small pair of shorts.

Her eyelids fluttered with some unnamed dream she lived out.

Peter's eyes traveled from Olivia's head to toe brazenly, knowing fully well he wouldn't be able to do this if she were awake.

From the satin wheat colored hair, to her parted lips that looked erotic even in her sleep, and over to her lithe yet curved form that her clothes did nothing to disguise.

Peter knew that what he was about to try was insane.

But the urge he was feeling, the craving he had inside him was devouring him and Peter couldn't resist its animalistic calling.

He knelt beside her and cautiously caressed her alabaster, silk nakedness, enjoying the feel of her curving skin under his fingertips.

Peter was already hot to trot, straining against his jeans, at the mere sight of Olivia's body, but he needed to make Olivia feel electric as well. To make her so aroused that she wouldn't care who or what was touching her as long as that touch brought her the ultimate release.

He began to kiss every part of her body tenderly, mindful not to scratch her with his stubble and touching her only with his lips.

_If this works… And I live to tell the tale and come back again… I'll start shaving every evening before visiting her._

_There is no way she can know it's me. She never felt me in this way. We barely ever touched._

_And my voice is distorted from the serum so that's another bonus._

_Although I don't think there'll be much need for talking._

He roamed around her skin like an adventurer who for the first time experiences the unknown, getting himself lost in her peculiar scent and memorizing it perfectly, making the map in his head.

Peter marveled at the fact that his tongue belonged in every crevice of her body, matching like a missing piece of a puzzle that needed a completion.

Olivia's skin was taut and hard. She was so pent up and strained.

To Peter, sex was a form of art. He might have seemed goofy and clumsy at first sight to other people, but that was a mere mask.

Behind it, he was an apt, dangerous criminal. And he was a tiger in bed. He had a really big dick and many ladies he pleased had praised him all over Boston, not to mention other cities and countries he had travelled to.

He was surprised that such a beautiful body like Olivia's apparently hadn't been caressed in the way it deserved, in the only proper way she needed to be touched.

_It's a neglect, that's what it is. I'll please you, Dunham. I'll make you orgasm in a way you have never reached your peak before. Taking care of business_-he smirked.

He heard her sigh a bit and Olivia turned on the side, flashing her beautiful lean back at him.

Peter waited for couple of minutes for her breathing to still and then he boldly sat at the edge of her bed, unbuttoning his jeans and letting the snake out of the cage.

Then Peter's hand reached for her breasts.

Olivia thrashed a bit in her bed, sweat littering her brow. Her body responded to the strange, magnificent touch, to the feel of hard yet gentle hands roaming on along the curve of her breast. It felt sublime. It felt perfect.

The tips of her nipples readily perked up to the touch of those daring fingertips, immediately hardening and Olivia let out a light moan.

_If this is one of those dreams… Please don't let me wake up yet_-she sighed and clung to the dream with all her might.

She felt the unfamiliar stirring between her legs. It had been too long for Olivia. Much too long.

Peter's hand travelled below her waist, moving her shorts and feeling her wetness.

He was blind for everything else. He only saw heat there, sensual heat and he knew he simply needed to touch Olivia to set that little ember of hers ablaze.

Peter slowly slid two fingers into her slit, opening her precious flower so that he could test Olivia's readiness for him. Liquid heat flowed down his fingers as he shoved his fingers into her pussy, he went still at her quick intake of breath.

But then Olivia surprised him when she clamped down on his fingers and squeezed hard.

Peter began to move around inside her, his eyes attentive of her still closed eyelids, while he tried hard to wait for Olivia to set the rhythm but found himself unable to do so.

He stroked her pussy but wanted to change it up and take her a little closer to the edge. He turned his fingers around and began a 'come here' motion with his fingers while pushing deeper into her sex.

Not wanting to ignore Olivia's pink little nub; he placed his thumb on it and slowly began to draw circles on the sensitive button. He was rewarded, as Olivia spurted some of her liquid heat down his fingers.

-Oh, God…-she muttered, moving to lie on her back now, spreading her legs even more and allowing him better access, now half awake, but still not completely aware of what was going on, simply enjoying that intense feeling she hadn't had a chance to experience for half a year now.

Olivia's eyes began to glaze over as she teetered on the edge of ecstasy's cliff.

Her body erupted as her climax ravaged her body; she succumbed to the orgasm while Peter watched her exquisite face. He held onto her as she went limp and he felt her quiver and shake in his arms.

Then she opened her eyes.

Olivia felt being held, being caressed, but there was no one there. She suddenly realized she hadn't been dreaming at all, but she wasn't afraid.

Whoever had been touching her in that way meant her no harm and Olivia felt secure in that embrace.

She tentatively reached under what she perceived as the rumpled shirt, touching strong, muscular arms that were sustaining her, but which she couldn't see and whispered inquisitively, with a hint of sadness, first name that came into her mind:

-John?

Peter rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

He stood up quietly and lifted her in his arms. Then Peter sat on the bed yet again, leaning on the wall and carefully placing Olivia to sit onto his lap, but making sure she didn't face him. He didn't want her to be able to touch his face.

_I'll give you John. _

_It figures she'd thought it would be him._

_Well I won't give the game away since it most certainly wouldn't benefit me._

_But she'll realize herself soon enough I am not John._

Olivia felt hard member pressing wantonly onto her thighs and she instinctively struggled to get up, slightly panicking, but then long fingers caressed her breasts and her abdomen with such care, calming her down, as if pleading her to stay, that she simply stilled her breath and waited, trembling.

Then Olivia felt the tip of his manhood teasing and rubbing her glistening wetness, and she was surprised at herself when her mouth let out a loud moan.

Peter smirked.

_You want it, don't you Olivia?_

_You are all achy and needy._

_Well I don't like to keep the ladies waiting._

He moved Olivia's shorts slightly aside and then slowly eased himself into her, inch by inch, sensing her inner resistance.

Leaning a bit forward and onto the right to look at Olivia behind the curtain of her hair, Peter could see shock registering all over her gorgeous freckled face.

-You… You aren't John.

-_No._-he gave a simply monosyllabic reply as he drove himself inside her to the hilt.

He stilled inside her letting her grow accustomed to his length and girth.

His rigid cock sheltered nicely in her feminine heat.

Olivia instinctively sucked him in deeper.

That set Peter off; he pulled out of her hastily, not wanting to cum so fast, and after several seconds slowly pressed into her again.

When her body opened to him, Olivia began to match his leisured rhythm thrust for thrust. Their bodies were in sync but Peter noticed her movements were a bit stiff, wooden and clumsy.

Peter could immediately tell she didn't have many sexual partners.

In his opinion, Olivia needed to relax, to actively engage in the sensual bodily dance instead of merely being a passive receiver.

Apparently, unhurried sex to begin with was apparently made just for her, perfectly tailored to suit every her need, to make Olivia open up like a shy, yet blossoming flower; Peter was afraid of the smell she'll emit when she fully blooms, of the power her body had already begun to wield over his.

He was rocking her slowly and tenderly on his cock, with an incredible gentleness, sensing that he was stretching her a bit but that Olivia enjoyed it anyway, fully accommodating him with a sigh, instinctively following the movement of his hips.

_She's a quick learner._

She was incredibly wet.

Peter stopped pumping into Olivia merely to tease her, simply to see what she would do.

And just as he had thought she would, Olivia slowly started moving up and down his shaft of her own accord, pleasing herself.

Peter drooled at the sight, both of his palms now moving to knead her gorgeous ass.

_Yeah, baby. Reverse cowgirl for the win._

_And I can tell she has never had anyone as big as me before_-he looked smug and proud.

_Also, no one has been in here for a while. She's incredibly tight._

_Too tight, maybe. Ugh, damn it, this just feels... So damn awesome. _

_If I don't take it slow, I might cum before she does._

_And we can't allow that to happen, can we now? Ladies first._

_Actually, I should get lost as soon as she cums. _

_Don't wanna come inside Olivia, I don't know if she's on the pill and I don't know yet if invisible lovers can make women pregnant._

_At least now I'm certain that Lucas didn't fuck her._

-Who… Who are you?-she muttered through her clenched teeth, barely holding herself together, blind with overcoming sensations and trying to turn around in vain, afraid of the strength of what she was feeling.

He didn't reply.

Instead, as Peter's erection was pulsing inside her, his right hand freed her plump, creamy, throbbing breasts from their cotton prison, gently kneading and stroking them.

His left one then travelled between her legs, finding Olivia's sweet spot and teasing it.

_Three in one, Dunham… Three in one._

His pupils widened in pleasure as Olivia reacted to his touch and began to ride him harder, more skillfully, without being able to control herself, letting out a whimper, her firm bouncy breasts begging for attention.

_God, Olivia, this is so good… _

_And I know can you feel it too._

_You see what you've been missing out on?_

Peter reached out to her yet again, now taking a pink areola between his fingers, her nipple becoming hard while he was stroking it.

Both of them doing their best to please the other, they allowed their lovemaking to become voracious and deeply primal.

It was if something inside them had clicked at the very same time and sent them into a whirlwind of need.

Peter didn't think that he could hold out much longer, not with Olivia riding him the way she did. He pressed his thumb on her clit and began manipulating it, pushing her closer to the edge. He felt her body respond and increase the pace at which she had been moving on top of him.

Peter sensed her working his cock; he was about to give her all that he had, his balls were full and boiling and he did his best to restrain himself.

Then Olivia's liquid heat flowed down his shaft. His body convulsed as stream after stream of her juices was sliding onto bed sheets.

He'd never experienced such a sexual connection with a woman before, it was as if Olivia was the spark he needed to fuel his life's fire.

Several seconds later Olivia completely stilled on top of him, as her upper body drooped forward in exhaustion and Peter felt his manhood throbbing wildly in a mad desire for a release.

Pulling out of her at that moment was the hardest thing Peter'd ever had to do in his life but he did it anyway, feeling strangely at a loss, as if some sort of wondrous connection was broken.

Just as Peter quickly buttoned up his jeans and was getting ready to bolt through her door, Olivia got up incredibly rapidly, recovering from the orgasmic bliss faster than he'd ever thought possible, and reached for her bottom drawer.

For one stupid moment Peter thought she was going to pull out a vibrator like she did several nights before.

Then Peter saw Olivia holding a Glock in both of her hands, as she rapidly jumped over the bed and pressed the gun firmly onto his chest.

Olivia then whispered menacingly, breathing shallowly, as her eyes reflected both fear and anger:

-Tell me who you are or I'll shoot.


	10. Duck Out

**TWO **thoughts passed through Peter Bishop's head almost simultaneously at that moment. The first was: _She's so hot when she's angry_; the second: _Uh-oh. I hope I'm not about to die._

Peter would have laughed at his own carelessness or at least at the order in which those thoughts appeared in his mind, but he knew better than that.

He simply stood there, wary, motionless, silent, watching Olivia slowly position her body towards the door, thus obstructing the path to them, still firmly pressing the gun onto his chest.

_How the hell did she guess where I was? _

_It was as if she exactly knew the place in which I was standing… _

_Maybe she remembered my position during… Our activities. It wouldn't surprise me._

_And here we are now. _

_She's blocked the door. _

_And the serum doesn't really work on thick walls. I don't think I'd be able to go through the wall that solid, that substantial. _

_Not with her pointing her Glock at me. Olivia would feel me move and shoot immediately._

_I might be invisible, but I am certainly not bulletproof._

_Dang._

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. _

_I really am an idiot._

_Oh well, it's all water under the bridge now._

_I never thought I'll die by a woman's hand. By Olivia's hand, at that._

_After having sex. With Olivia._

_How's that for a paradox?_

Not having received an immediate reply, Olivia repeated the question, this time more decisively. Her hands were shaking. She couldn't remember when was the last time she felt so agitated.

The worst thing was, Olivia thought, that one part of her disturbance was coming from her fury and fright, from the wounded pride, but the other one…

Was coming from her excitement. She could still feel the aftermaths of her climax as her breasts were trembling and her entire groin was pulsating with delightful sensation she had never experienced before with any man. Goosebumps were spreading throughout her entire body, which was now thoroughly, completely pleased and she hated herself for enjoying so much what had just transpired.

Her thoughts travelled to the moment in which she woke up, blissfully sated, only to realize someone's strong, warm arms were cradling her in their embrace with tenderness and care. Just before he entered her.

Olivia hesitated for a split second and then upset thoughts came back.

_But no… He…. He invaded my privacy. He practically willed himself on me… Whoever he is…And I…. I let him_-her cheeks became beet red when she recalled how readily she reacted to that touch.

Olivia wondered how it was possible. How did she lose control like that with a complete stranger? How could his simple caresses reach the very core of her being and make her give herself away in such way?

-Tell me who you are! Or…-she paused and whispered-what you are.

-_Who_-the word flew out of Peter's mouth without thinking and he actually wondered how he had the audacity to say anything to her after what he did.

_She mustn't find out_-he thought feverishly. _And I have to get out of here. Preferably alive. But how? _

-How did you get in here? Answer me!-she still wouldn't move the gun from his chest but the slightly loose way in which she was holding it spoke volumes to Peter about her hesitation. He used it to his advantage and he spoke up yet again.

_-You wouldn't cold-bloodedly shoot an unarmed, innocent man. _

Olivia let out an incredulous snort.

-Innocent?-she shook her head. –You're everything but innocent. What you just did…

-_I didn't mean you any harm._ _I only wanted to make you feel good. And that's what I did._

Olivia took a deep breath, twitched and chose not to comment on that morbid, absurd statement.

-Why can't I see you?

-_No one can-_Peter said in a somewhat sad tone of voice, easily adapting to his new role of a misunderstood, invisible man.

He supposed he was going to get to Olivia easier in that way and he was right. For one moment she actually forgot what had just transpired between them and inquired with a hint of confusion and curiosity:

-What happened to you? Where do you come from? Why are you here in my apartment? Who are you?-an avalanche of quick-succession questions which circularly ended with the initial one rained on him; Peter knew this was his opportunity and he had to seize it.

If Olivia had wanted to shoot him for real, he thought, she would have done so since the moment she pulled the Glock from the drawer. It would have been so easy. She knew exactly where he was.

But no. Olivia wanted answers instead.

And strangely enough, the conversation that they had just had prompted Peter to decide to give them to her.

But not that night. Not when she was armed. Not when even he didn't have all the answers himself. He needed time to invent them. Then he would come back and face her again.

Only this time, with his new identity.

Peter slowly, boldly moved his right hand towards her cheek. Olivia had no way of knowing what he was doing, seeing how she was pressing the gun onto his chest and she could neither see him nor feel his hand movement.

It was a risky move, since she could pull the trigger in any second, surprised by his sudden touch.

_It's a gamble, but… That's me, I guess. A gambler. I always play it fast and loose until it's too late. And this just might distract her, let me move away from the gun, get out and save my life in the process. _

_Four in one. _

_It sounds impossible, like that old kids' joke_-Peter thought.

"_-How do you put an elephant in the fridge in four simple moves? –Open the fridge, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the fridge". _

_My kind of situation._

Olivia felt a warm palm on her cheek which stilled her tenderly, caressing her, trying to calm her down and for a moment she forgot how to breathe.

Her right hand went slightly limp.

Then she sensed him lean towards her as a gush of chilly air passed between them, and whisper next to her ear:

-_Nobody. I am nobody._

With those words, he suddenly bolted onto the right, rapidly moving away from her Glock.

Peter then ran swiftly towards the window, surprising her, since Olivia actually expected him to go for the bedroom door.

She firstly didn't realize what he did, not until she heard soft footsteps next to the window sill and quickly went to it, opening the window, and groping around the small balcony in vain.

By then, it was already too late to reach him again and Olivia had to admit it to herself.

She fought the urge to rush out in the street in search for him but she soon realized she wouldn't be able to find him anywhere.

_Who is he?_-the question swam on the surface of her thoughts for the umpteenth time that night, logically enough.

_Could he be a ghost?_-Olivia quickly shook off that nonsensical thought.

_I touched him. I clearly remember having felt his chest under my gun and previously having felt him…_-Olivia thought back on another obvious reason why he couldn't possibly be a ghost and she went crimson in face.

_Could he be a product of my own mind? Could it be that somehow… _

_I was so desperate for sexual contact that I "invented" him for real?_

_But, no…Walter told me… About John… That part of John's memories seeped into me and that he is inside my brain now… My brain is trying to expel him and that is why I had been seeing him lately. The key word being… Seeing._

_I couldn't see this man._

_But I won't allow myself to be afraid. I… I won't._

_I have to find out what exactly had just happened._

_Whoever he was… He's gone now. _

All that remained in the room was a strange feeling of emptiness, now that Olivia was once again on her own. A feeling coupled with the coincident fear and incomprehensible trace of anticipation of his return.

**PETER **almost screamed out loud as he rapidly passed through the glass.

It was much more uncomfortable than passing through the door, partially because he barely had time to focus on dematerialization in order not to shatter Olivia's window.

Despite his successful passage, he felt as if he were simultaneously cut by million tiny razor blades.

He expected Olivia to read through his tactic and come after him, so he quickly, skillfully swung himself over the small balcony railing and held onto it on the other side with all his might, his feet dangling in mid-air.

_I always wondered if this is where lovers hide when a husband unexpectedly returns home earlier from a business trip. _

_Come to think of it, they probably do, seeing how the first places where angry, jealous, suspicious spouse will look are under the bed or inside the wardrobe. _

_Of course, my bonus is that I am completely invisible. _

_Olivia can't even see my fingertips grasping the balcony console brackets._

Just as Peter expected, Olivia admitted her defeat and stopped looking for him a minute or so later.

He heard her exhale noisily, irritated, and eventually return inside.

Peter then let out a deep sigh of alleviation, celebrating his narrow escape.

_Whew. Still alive and kicking. _

His enthusiasm didn't last long, as Peter cast a glance downwards, discovering he was actually on the second floor.

_Ha. Bummer. Well, I should have expected it. _

_2A. That's her apartment number. Didn't figure that one out. _

_Awesome. Just… Awesome._

_Jumping is out of question. I might fall and break a leg. _

_And how cool would it be if she found me under her balcony in the morning, visible and with guilt written all over my face? _

_I've gotta try and slide down the wall. _

Peter moved on the right, somehow managing to reach the aforementioned wall, at the same time carefully checking if there was someone down there passing beneath him.

_Don't wanna be that guilty flowerpot that falls on someone's head and promptly kills the guy._

Lucky for him, the street was completely quiet.

Peter then glanced at his wristwatch.

_Half past twelve. Half an hour of invisibility left. No need to hurry. _

_I've only been in Olivia's room for… What? Half an hour? _

_Funny. It seemed much, much longer. Like an eternity, really_-a somewhat silly, dazzled smile appeared on Peter's face.

_This has got to be the weirdest way ever in which I've managed to sleep with a girl. A_

_nd not just any girl. The very girl I wanted to roll in the hay with for over six months now. _

_Don Juan should watch and learn._

Peter then completely focused on sliding down the wall, which consequently made an unpleasant raspy sound, but fortunately, it was not too loud so as to attract the attention of the sleeping building dwellers.

He did lose control during the last meter or so, and he bit his hand in order to stop himself from yelping when he slipped and fell on the pavement.

_Ouch. My precious skin._

_Oh, well, no big deal. I'll survive. After having faced the Ghastly Glock and having lived to tell the tale, one casual encounter with the pavement should be a piece of cake to recover from._

_I guess it's time to go home._

Before he started for the hotel, nonetheless, Peter instinctively, briefly raised his eyes towards Olivia's balcony as a certain symbolic, solitary way of saying good-bye.

Peter wondered how she was.

If she managed to fall asleep.

If she was afraid of him.

Peter hoped the last one wasn't the case but he knew it might as well be fool's hope.

**WHEN **Peter ultimately reached the hotel, it was around five minutes to one and his invisibility was still there, so he didn't bother with unlocking the room door.

After having nonchalantly walked right through it and routinely checked upon his father, who was fast asleep and seemingly muttering formula for the root beer in his dream, Peter went to the bathroom.

Nothingness greeted Peter as he stared into the mirror.

_Like in vampire movies with Nosferatu or Count Dracula. _

_At the ball, when vampire waltzes with the girl and she looks into the huge ballroom mirror, it seems as if she were dancing with herself. _

_Spooky._

_Well I sure waltzed a lot with Olivia tonight.-_he grinned, becoming aware of his protruding dick.

_Hey, buddy, are you hanging in there? Aw, man. I know how you feel_-he looked downwards sympathetically at his painful, expectant member.

_Pulling you out of her just as you were about to shoot your load out was… Excruciatingly hard._

_But we couldn't put a bun in her oven now, could we? _

_I didn't really have a condom in handy._

_The decision I made last night was… Idiotic and… Spontaneous._

_It would be so cool if Inviso-man's sperm can't really get a lady pregnant._

_I'll have to look into it._

_Constantly making love to Olivia with a condom would be like… _

_Washing my feet with socks on. _

_The fullness of the feeling would be completely lost._

Peter unbuttoned his jeans yet again and pulled out his cock.

_Release the Kraken._

The intoxicating smell of Olivia's juices that coated his shaft filled the bathroom and Peter almost fainted from the intensity of it, greedily, hornily spreading his nostrils and inhaling as much of it as he could.

It felt as if she were still there with him.

_God, her pussy smells… So good. _

_Olivia… You smell so good. _

_Du riechst so gut…Ich geh dir hinterhe…Du riechst so gut… Ich finde dich… Ich steig dir nach, ich fass dich an… Du riechst so gut…Jetzt hab ich dich…_

_Good old Rammstein. There really isn't a life situation of mine where their lyrics don't fit, is there?_-Peter thought, slowly stroking himself until the blissful explosion.

_Too bad there wasn't a huge mirror on the ceiling or on the wardrobe of her bedroom, so that she could see how appealing she looked like._

_So sweet, tender, confused and beautiful._

_So hungry for male's touch._

_Tentative, clumsy at first, like a newborn foal, and then… _

_She became a filly. _

_So spirited, wild and… Free._

_And oh how she enjoyed every moment of it._

_If she had… If she had pushed me away… If she had said no… I would have left._

_But she didn't._

_She didn't. _

Peter's eyes gleamed contently and a broad, stupid smile appeared on his face.

_But, dang, the fact I had to place her on my lap so that she faces away from me kinda slightly ruined it for me._

_I wanted to be able to fully look upon her during that precise moment in which she became mine. _

_I heard her gasps of pleasure all right… _

_But… It would be so much better if I could have seen Olivia's face as well._

_I wished to kiss her._

_Not to mention I wanted to get completely naked with her._

_Skin to skin contact._

_Now that's what great sex's all about._

_Sadly… Not gonna happen. _

_If I were to take off my attire in the middle of her room, the clothes would immediately become visible and Olivia might recognize some of the garments I usually wear._

_So… If the "new identity" plan works… If I manage to return soon with a good enough story… _

_Whatever happens, I'll still never be able to do Olivia in a full monty. _

_It's kinda stupid but… _

_Unless it's hot enough outside and then I can actually leave the clothes in the car and enter her apartment with nothing on._

_Eh. Wishful thinking. _

_Who's to say Olivia won't put a bullet right through me the next time I enter her place as an Inviso-man?_

_Though… She couldn't do it dispassionately now. _

_Maybe she'll hesitate again._

His smug facial expression turned into a worried one.

_I'll zoom into existence any minute now. I'll wait in here until that happens, and then I should probably exit the bathroom, take an aspirin and eat something immediately._

_Not like that'll help much. As I recall, last time I took the serum… When I went to Smith's place… At the moment my body materialized… I still felt hazy and my knees were all wobbly. That was exactly why he was able to smack me on the head_-Peter frowned, summoning up that unpleasant experience.

_Although… It wasn't as bad as before. I could control the pain, more or less. Maybe because I ran to his house and spent some energy in that way._

_Lamentably, the rest of it was channeled into violence I spilled all over Broyles._

Peter almost laughed out loud in the bathroom.

_He was so surprised when I screamed at him._

_I know that all I said to him was exaggerated, but… I had a point. Somewhat. _

_Okay, I get it. _

_We saved a man's life. Woo-hoo. _

_But we have no idea what ZFT stands for, what the heck do they want and how are we going to end their bioterrorist attacks._

_It's as if after each case we simply get a glimpse of a bigger picture and nothing else._

_We dig a little bit on the surface but never really get to the essence._

_Olivia is pissed off about that as well. And I can totally relate to her. Dang, I want answers too._

_Sometimes I don't know what we are even doing, anyway._

_Oh, well. At least this case is over and we hopefully won't have a new one on our hands any time soon._

_I could really use some rest. Gotta wake up early in the morning. Walter was mentioning something about obligatorily going into the lab at 7 a.m. _

_I wonder what kind of idea has his mad brain come up with now._

Just as these thoughts were passing through his mind, Peter saw his body re-materialize almost instantly in the mirror and he winced instinctively, expecting the excruciating pain and the desire to hit people and things to follow the transformation.

Nothing happened.

He waited some more, frowning, puzzled. Ten minutes passed and Peter cocked his head.

_But… Oh…_-a realization hit him square on the head.

_Hmmm…Tonight… I spent some energy in a very, very interesting way. _

_As it seems… A lot of sex… Equals… No serum side effects._

Peter looked at himself conceitedly in the mirror.

**WALTER **was running nervously all around the lab, moving the equipment from here to there and shouting out numerous instructions to Astrid and Peter who could do nothing but obey and roll their eyes.

_Never should've come here._

_Got better things to do._

The lab door opened and Olivia entered, walking energetically in their direction.

Peter stopped in the middle of the room, holding a huge cardboard box in his arms, gawking at her awkwardly.

It was strange seeing Olivia after… After their last night's adventure.

_Well hello, midnight lover._

Olivia looked beautiful, as always, and her hair was loose. She also seemed somehow… Radiant… Peter couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Only her eyes gave away a slight hint of nervousness.

His palms were sweaty and when her eyes collided with his, for a brief moment, Peter actually thought Olivia was going to come over to him, point the gun at his chest and scream, accusing him of having used her.

She did no such thing.

Olivia greeted him with a kind, pleasant, wide smile and a friendly bump on the shoulder. She did seem a bit uncomfortable and Peter recalled their last night's conversation.

_Oh. She behaves weirdly around me cause I made a pass at her last night and she ditched me._

_And I behave weird around her because… Well… I got some midnight nookie from Olivia._

_Which she doesn't know about._

_Fun times._

_-_Hi!-Olivia said, albeit a bit too loudly and cheerfully.

_I hope he's not angry with me because of what happened last night… I… I have to do everything I can to preserve our friendship._

-Hey-Peter's mouth widened leisurely in a lopsided grin.

Peter couldn't stop staring at Olivia and he wished he could slap himself across the face so that he would snap out of it, but, lamentably, both of his hands were busy.

The sleek curtain of Olivia's hair and her unbuttoned shirt made Peter want to rip off her clothes and ravish her all over again on the lab table.

_Well, I guess it's true what they say. Sex: the more you have it… The more you want it… If you don't use it… You lose it. _

_I got the taste of Olivia last night and I just want to keep tasting her over and over again._

-So, what's going on?-she motioned around the laboratory, inquiring about general situation and disorder she could see. –You're going somewhere? To a different lab, maybe? How come I don't know anything about it? Or you're just looking for something Walter lost?

-I certainly hope not. I couldn't survive another moving-Peter smiled. –I think the term Walter used before we engaged in this incessant activity was… Spring cleaning.

-Oh, agent Dunham, you're here as well! Good, good, grab that yellow mop bucket with wringer over there and head towards the back room… The floor is unusually filthy. And these windows simply must be cleaned from the inside and from the outside too! You can do that later, of course!-Walter babbled rapidly, staring at the floor.

Peter was on the verge of telling his father to shut up and leave her alone since it was not the job for her, when Olivia chuckled at Walter and simply said:

-Okay. Where do you recommend I start?

-Look. Olivia. You don't have to do what he tells you. Walter has apparently been struck by a sudden streak of inspiration and for some reason, unbeknownst to us all, he wishes to rearrange the entire laboratory.

-I don't mind. I used to love spring cleaning when I was a child.

-Fine. It's your loss. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

-Forgive my son, he's been in mood since he woke up… Oh!-Walter exclaimed, now paying attention to Olivia's face. -But you, agent Dunham, you are positively glowing this morning!

-What do you mean?-she blushed a little.

_The old goat noticed it too. So it wasn't just my imagination._

_After-sex glow for the win._

_I've properly laid the pipe._

_And three, two, one until the uncomfortable situation starts…_

_Now._

-That look of pleasure I perceive in your expression is the look you get after "getting laid", as you youngsters say nowadays… It is widely known that all women get a "flush" or some pinkness from sex, combined with mild perspiration and just a happy look on their face! It happens any time they do it and are extremely satisfied with partner's performance. There is a scientific explanation for that-Walter went on enthusiastically while Peter and Olivia simply stood there next to him, looking uncomfortable, blushing and unable to stop him from continuing. -Heart starts to pump faster so the extra blood flow makes the face glow. The sensations are new and very intense and the body feels alive. Oh, well done, agent Dunham!-Walter rubbed both of his hands together gleefully. -You're a smart girl, you know what's good for you! You should follow agent Dunham's example, Peter, and have as much sex as you can. You might not be so grumpy then!

-Walter…-Peter started tiredly, knowing fully well Olivia wasn't really in the mood for such talk right now.

-It's true, Peter! Sex is very beneficial. You two should have sex as often as possible.

_Don't mind if we do_-Peter smirked inwardly and Olivia averted her gaze for a second.

-Listen, Walter… Can I talk to you for a second?-she inquired after a brief pause and after having seen Walter had calmed down a bit.

-Of course-he nodded eagerly.

-In private-Olivia cleared her throat and Peter raised an eyebrow but moved away a bit from them nonetheless, feigning disinterest.

_Better not go too far away. Wanna hear the question she's gonna pop. And if I'm right… I know exactly what question it is gonna be._

-I need to ask you something but… You have to promise me you won't tell anyone that I am inquiring about this.

-You have my word, agent Dunham-Walter swore solemnly.

-How can…-she chewed on her lower lip nervously… -How can a person become invisible?


	11. Ben Stockton

**THE CARDBOARD **box Peter was holding in his arms promptly fell on the floor with a loud _clang_ sound, since he completely forgot about it, having heard Olivia's question directed to his father.

_Shit. Did she just ask him that? If he remembers his Inviso-man project… I'm a goner._

_Olivia might trace it right back to me._

_Unless…_

_I visit her apartment again as the Invisible Guy soon and give her a different explanation._

Olivia and Walter turned around sharply, startled with the noise, Gene mooed mournfully and Astrid stopped clearing out the file cabinet.

-Peter, no!-Walter exclaimed, speedily running over to his side.

-Sorry about that. My palms are all sweaty-Peter muttered.

-Now you've probably broken everything!

-Okay, Walter, stop bitching around. I said I was sorry. Hang on a second, will you? I'll open it now and we'll see what's inside. There was no sound of glass shattering or anything. So i guess nothing is broken.

-Reckless, that's what you are!

-Are you gonna let me open it or not?

Father and son faced each other with identical furious expressions on their faces.

Astrid and Olivia exchanged uncomfortable glances and instinctively intervened, each one calming down "her" respective Bishop.

-Walter, it's okay. Take it easy.-Astrid placed a hand on mad scientist's shoulder. –Maybe nothing's broken, really. Peter didn't mean to do it, right, Peter?-she stared at him expectantly, rolling her eyes at him in order to show Peter he should play along.

But it wasn't until Olivia came to his side that Peter actually simmered down himself.

-Peter-she whispered in his ear and his frown was somewhat gone at that single word uttered from her.

_Dang. The instant calming effect. Olivia-sedative. A man can't even properly get angry anymore with her around, I swear._

–Try to understand him. He's your father. He must really care about whatever might be in that box.

-Some father he is-Peter retorted. –Walter's present and past parental abilities aside: Olivia, just let me ask you a question: do you really think he even knows what's in the box? Five months ago, Walter wasn't aware what his last name was. He even had no idea who you were back when he convinced you to get high and dive into a sensory deprivation tank.

Olivia actually looked taken aback for a moment and she shook her head slightly.

_Didn't know that, doll? Well there's a newsflash for ya._

-Well of course I know what's in the box, you blind idiot. My photo albums. And some of the photographs might have even been enframed.

-They haven't, seeing how the glass shattering sound wasn't heard. I've already told you that. Now for the last time: move away and let me open the god-damned box.

Walter finally budged and stepped aside grudgingly.

Peter pulled out his faithful pocket knife and sliced the box open, immediately starting to cough because of all the dust that happily sprouted upwards, freed from its cardboard incarceration.

Olivia and Astrid waved their hands in front of their faces, but Walter knelt next to Peter and started rummaging around.

-See? Nothing's broken.

-Next time, be more careful.

-I sincerely hope there won't be a next time. One spring cleaning in seventeen years is quite enough for me. We'll clean the lab again when I'm 47-Peter grinned smugly when he heard Olivia chuckle behind him.

_It's nice to know I still got it. Peter Bishop: making the chicks laugh since... Well… Since 1996, for instance. Mission complete._

Walter didn't reply anything to that and Peter paid attention to his father out of sheer curiosity.

-Okay, Walter, what exactly are you doing right now?

-Oh, it's still here! This one is my favorite!-Walter exclaimed childishly, pulling out a huge black photo album. -The wedding, the lake house…

Peter froze on the spot.

-Walter…-he couldn't recognize his own shaky, wary voice. –You've had your fun. Why don't you put those back now so I can find a place for them?

-Nonsense, Peter, I haven't seen these in seventeen years! I so much… So much wish to look upon them again-Walter trembled with a hungry expression on his face.

-Oh my God, a family photo album!-Astrid and Olivia exclaimed in unison. –How cute!-they cooed.

-Walter, I'd love to see how you looked like on your wedding day!-Astrid said.

-Are there some pictures of baby Peter, too?-Olivia inquired with a sweet smile. –I'd love to see how you looked like when you were a toddler-she said, but the ugly expression on Peter's face stopped her from saying anything else.

Olivia could see that he was extremely upset.

-No… Not that many, actually-Walter replied with a deep sadness in his voice. –Oh. I found the wedding photo. Look, Afro.

-Is that… Purple?-Astrid laughed out loud. –Oh my God, Walter!

-What? Why? It's the most stylish color possible for the wedding tuxedo! I even kept it, I know it's around here somewhere…-his shuddering forefinger then wiped the dust off the happy face of a woman who was standing by his side and for several moments not a sound could be heard in a lab apart from Walter's sigh and Peter's somewhat ragged breathing.

-Is this your Mom?-Olivia inquired tenderly, turning towards Peter, who was blankly, angrily staring into space, decisively refusing to look down. –She is really pretty.

Peter was clenching his fists, trying his best not to react.

_That's private… How dare he… That's… Private._

_-_Yes, agent Dunham. She was so beautiful… So beautiful in white-Walter muttered and that was what did it for Peter.

-You have no right to talk about her! To… To say her name. To touch those photographs she's on. You never were the part of our family!-Peter screamed at him, grabbed the album Walter was holding and rushed towards the back room.

-I upset him, didn't I?-Walter said, barely audibly.

He closed the box wordlessly and took it away to a remote corner without looking at other photos.

Astrid and Olivia were at loss for words so they simply decided not to comment on what had just transpired. Astrid sighed and went back to sorting out the file cabinet.

_She's obviously used to such scenes_, Olivia thought.

Walter returned to stand by Olivia.

-Agent Dunham. You asked me how can a person become invisible, yes?-his voice was civil with a hint of sadness.

-Walter…. If this is not a good time for you…

-I shall answer your question-he continued, pretending he hadn't heard her and Olivia went along with it. –There are two ways, so to speak. One: you can be born with invisibility potential and two: you could, hypothetically, inject yourself with an invisibility serum. Which does not exist yet, so… It is all science fiction still, as Peter would say.

-Why name it, then?

-Well, in theory, it could be made but no one has ever managed to make it correctly.

-Okay-she nodded vigorously, accepting his explanation and discarding that possibility. –What about the other option you mentioned to me me… To be… Born with invisibility predisposition? How is that even possible?

-Maybe I haven't expressed myself clearly enough… You see, agent Dunham, certain… Genetic disorders or… Special chromosome aberrations or anomalies… The unique cellular quality of the infant's genetics might make him or her pliable to accommodate chromatophore implantation... Thus giving the child the ability to blend into its' surroundings.

Olivia swallowed hard.

-This means that… The chromatophore implantation you are mentioning… Would have to be introduced by a team of scientists? That is… The child would have to be experimented on in order to… Enhance the predisposition?

-Yes. That is correct-Walter nodded sadly.

-Thank you… Walter. You've been very helpful.

Olivia went towards the back room next.

Vigilant, wary and puzzled scientist's eyes watched her go.

**PETER **slammed the back room door, throwing the album as far away from him as he could. He sat on the chair, breathing heavily.

Salty moist was gathering in the corner of his eyes and he squeezed his temples as hard as he could to stop it from shedding outside.

Couple of minutes later, the door slowly opened and Peter pricked his ears after having heard Olivia's soft steps approach him.

-Olivia… I don't wanna sound rude but… Leave me alone-he managed to utter gritting his teeth.

-Peter. I don't wanna sound rude either… But I've got a room to clean. So you're the one who has to leave-she said gently, with a hint of amusement in her voice.

He raised his gaze in wonder, staring at Olivia's figure standing mere inches from him, holding a mop bucket with wringer.

A smile momentarily appeared on Peter's lips against his will, but it was quickly replaced with a scowl.

-Did you all have a good time with my family photo albums?

-Actually, yes. Walter showed me a really cute photo of a two year old you having a bath.

Peter's eyes widened in shame and horror as he took in the true meaning of what Olivia had just said.

-With a rubber duckie?-he muttered bitterly, lowering his eyes onto the floor.

-You had a rubber duckie when you were two years old?-Olivia smiled.

-Yeah… And now you know my darkest secret. As far as I can recall, I had it until I was seven or so. This is why it probably shows up as a faithful companion on all of my "having a bath nude" photos.

-Peter-the decisive tone of her voice made him look up once more. –I didn't see any of your "having a bath nude" photos. Walter took all the family albums away as soon as he noticed how much he had upset you.

Peter smirked, mildly irritated, but much more amused.

_And she played me for a fool. She really is a quick learner._

-So, that was what? You were bluffing?

-It wouldn't be my first time-Olivia raised an eyebrow, teasing him.

-No-he chuckled, recalling the day they'd met. –No, it wouldn't. You know, Dunham… You should write a book on a "How to con a con-man". It would be a bestseller. Man here thinks you're an angel… But you're full of surprises.

She blushed to his praise.

-So are you.

-Oh? What's so surprising about me? I'm an ordinary guy. I keep myself to myself most of the times.

-Well you sometimes come across as calm and composed and other times…-she bit her lip wondering if she should have gone there in the first place.

-Look. Sorry about that. You shouldn't have witnessed that scene. It's Walter. He's just so damn annoying.

Olivia wondered why Peter hated the fact that his father was looking at the photos of him and his mother but decided not to intrude any further.

-He tries so hard, Peter. Have you noticed that?

-I have. That makes him even more irritating, as a matter of fact.

-He's your father-Olivia stated the obvious, her eyes glimmering like two bright yellow suns in the daylight and Peter held her gaze for a while longer just to be able to watch that transformation.

-A simple misfortune that, lamentably, can't be corrected-he yawned carelessly. –He's more like my son at the moment anyway.

-Peter. He loves you very much. And I think that somewhere deep down inside you care about him as well. You're just embittered because of everything that…

-Because of what? What, Olivia? Listen. Relationship between me and my father concerns him and me only. Don't pretend like you know what's happening around here. What had been happening…-he swallowed.

She nodded courtly.

-You're right. Of course. It's none of my business.

-Look…. Olivia-Peter explored her face, feeling uncomfortable, angry with himself for having snapped at the very person who least deserved it.

_She always had that weird way to make me feel guilty. _–Can we just not talk about this?

-Sure-she smiled a hesitant smile. –How about I start with the spring cleaning for real, then?

_Shit. The serum dosages. And the "Matter of energy" book. They are right here in this room. Olivia can't see them. If she found them, she wouldn't know what they are but still… She might ask Walter, and we don't want that to happen, do we?_

-If you are really that hell-bent to help, you can clean the windows. Why don't you let me take care of the back room? It's too crowded with the lab equipment and other stuff you probably wouldn't even recognize-he took the mop from Olivia's hands.

-Okay-Olivia didn't insist any further and when the back room door were finally closed and Peter was left alone, he exhaled noisily, rummaged through the box with the book remaining serum dosages, wrapped them up in a plastic bag and hid them inside his leather jacket.

_Gotta find a safer place for these later._

The family photo album, carelessly thrown in the corner, attracted his gaze again.

He stood up, took it in his hands, winced after having turned several pages and after couple of seconds of staring, Peter pocketed a photo of a beautiful dark haired woman and a beaming blond haired nine year old, holding a ball under his armpit in the park.

**JUST **as Olivia was leaving the back room, her cell phone rang and she promptly answered it.

-Dunham.

-This is Broyles. I need you and the Bishops in the FBI offices. We have a new case on our hands. There's been a… Strange kidnapping.

**HALF **an hour later, the three of them were already standing in Broyles's office, as he was briefing them about the abduction.

Peter and Walter were listening, but not too carefully, seeing how they were busy eating and drinking; their hands were filled with hot coffee and donuts.

Still, they did nod their heads vigorously whenever Broyles would look in their direction.

Olivia had noticed that and even though initially thinking of scolding them, she barely suppressed a smile, thinking how similar father and son looked at that very moment.

Seeing how both Walter and Peter had gotten up early and had started cleaning the lab, neither of them had time to have proper breakfast before coming to the FBI headquarters; that was why they had to buy some donuts on their way there.

Walter bought one for Olivia too, and she rolled her eyes, heading towards the nearest paper basket; however, she promptly changed her mind and gave it to Peter instead, recalling his complaint about wasting food.

She was rewarded with a genuine and surprised smile as Peter wolfed down the donut in one bite.

Olivia wanted to get on good terms with him again.

_First I give him cold shoulder after dinner last night._

_Then, I cross the line in the lab this morning and comment on something that I shouldn't have commented on in the first place._

_I care about Peter and I… I simply don't want to fight with him._

Between the new case and the recent mini quarrel she had with Peter, which had occupied her completely, somehow, Olivia managed to banish the thoughts of the midnight visit from her mind.

-Seeing how we are talking about the abduction, I believe I do not need to emphasize how important it is that we find the child in no more than 48 hours.

-A child?-Olivia whispered, horrified, and Peter recalled the tender, playful voice she had used when she talked to her niece three days ago, just before she travelled to Frankfurt.

-Yes-her boss nodded gravely. -The boy's name is Ben Stockton-Broyles's voice resounded through the office. -According to his mother, they were driving home from a school function last night when she saw a well-dressed young woman having car trouble. The mother claims that, while she was looking at woman's car, something strange happened. Her son, the car and a woman were gone.

-Maybe she fainted-Peter jumped in, becoming interested in the story. Walter didn't speak up.

-She insisted she never lost consciousness-Broyles said firmly. –And… This is not the first time that this has happened. We have files from three missing person cases dating back ten years. If you carefully read each one, you will see that witnesses describe having seen the exact same woman. Based on the freshest description that Ben's mother gave us, Agent Francis has managed to ID the kidnapper. Her name was Joanne Trotter.

-Was? She got married or something so she changed it?-Peter smirked.

-No, Bishop, she died.

-Meh. Pretty much the same in my book.

Olivia looked at Peter incredulously, but then she turned to Broyles.

-She died?

-She was a molecular biologist studying at M.I.T. She would have been thirty this April. According to DMV department of records, she died 10 years ago. We are certain that we are talking about the same woman.

-So what happened to her?

-Apparently, her car went off the bridge couple of months before the abductions started. The car was recovered, but her body was never found.

-So she didn't die after all. You see? And there you were looking so appalled when I first made the comment-Peter grinned at Olivia but she simply shook her head at him.

-This is not good. We actually know who the abductee is, but… We have no idea where she might be, or… How to find her. And that boy's life may be in danger. Was there anything else that the boy's mother remembered at the moment of his disappearance? We need… More. And what happened to the other victims?

-They were let go.

-What?-Peter sniggered incredulously. –Who in their right mind would let the victims walk alive and unharmed after having abducted them?

-I didn't say they were unharmed. Whatever had been done to them… Drove them insane. They were trying to hurt themselves or they would turn against their loved ones. Lamentably, all of them were incapable of recalling what happened during the abduction.

Olivia stared at the victims' profiles, thinking hard.

Peter stood up and came behind her to see what she was reading. He caught the whiff of the scent of her skin and a sweet shudder passed down his spine.

_Even at these serious moments… I think about touching you, Olivia_.

Peter quietly sighed, wondering what the hell was going on with him. Olivia was becoming like a drug for him, and he would turn nervous or angry if he weren't able to see her for some time.

_Yeah… Remember Frankfurt? _

_Now, honestly, I don't recall having been obsessed with a girl's body that much. Perhaps there is some truth in what Walter normally rattles on about… Pheromones… And unique body scent that every girl emits… Perhaps she simply emits my kind of smell._

He cleared his throat, remembering where they were and what were they doing.

Peter also reminded himself that he should keep bodily distance from Olivia, and that he should definitely avoid touching her.

_We don't want her to recognize me, do we now?_

-What does it say?-he inquired.

-I don't get it, Peter… I was looking for a common denominator for all these abductions. I thought I found one. All of these people were academics, physicists, probability theorists, structural engineers… But Ben… he doesn't fit the profile. How old is Ben?

-Ten-Broyles replied shortly.

-Oh, Ben Ten!-Walter exclaimed joyfully. –Asteroid showed me this children's action show on television the other day. It starts right after Sponge Bob. It's quite good.

-Look, Walter. There is a boy who might die. Focus already. Enough with the cartoons. So you're saying… What? The same person who had been abducting Wile E. Coyote Super Geniuses has suddenly abducted a mere ten year old kid?-Peter was surprised.

-That's the thing. Ben wasn't just a mere ten year old kid. His mother told us he was special.

-Special? In what way?-Olivia asked.

-He was a little Einstein?-Peter inquired.

-Yes. But he became… "A Little Einstein", like you say, under unusual circumstances. His family had a car accident. His father died immediately from a severe head wound. The mother and a child survived. At first… Doctors told the boy's mother they didn't know if the boy was gonna make it either. He was in a coma for six days… And when he woke up… According to the video the mother had already shown to agent Francis… He became an incredibly talented mathematician. He stopped speaking much since he found out his father died. The activity he would enjoy most was… Solving mathematical problems, puzzles and conundrums. Ben was also able to come up with many different ways to solve one single mathematical problem.

-Oh my God-Olivia clasped her mouth. –His father died? That is so sad, especially for such a young child…

She recalled her own father dying, her mother remarrying and the terror she and her sister lived through under the reign of their deranged stepfather.

-But… He wasn't good at mathematics before?-Olivia focused on the case again.

Her face was now utterly puzzled and Peter caught her licking her lips.

_She tends to do that when she's confused._

-No-Broyles confirmed. –Moreover, Ben's mother said to Agent Francis that soon after, the boy had become obsessed with one equation in particular, the only one he couldn't solve. Stopped being interested in everything else.

-Does Ben's mum happen to have a… Copy of the equation somewhere at their place?

-We haven't asked her yet but it certainly is a good idea to try and obtain it so you can all have a look at it-Broyles nodded.

Walter spoke for the first time.

-It is common knowledge that people with severe brain traumas used to wake up with the ability to do things they hadn't been able to do before.

-So he does fit the profile-Peter said, giving an overall finishing conclusion. –Apparently… We… Know a lot. We know he shares common characteristics with other abductees. We know who the mysterious kidnapper is. We have no idea _where_ Joanne Trotter is, though. And… We don't know how was it that she managed to take away all those people.

-Actually… We know that as well-Broyles added. –And it is precisely that knowledge which determined that this kidnapping was going to be treated as a Fringe division case, and not as an ordinary abduction. After interacting with the woman from the sketch, all the victims would experience an interval of lost time. Peculiar flashing lights.

-Green green green red-those words came out of Walter's mouth before he could stop himself.

-What did you just say?-Broyles inquired, extremely surprised.

-Don't mind him. He didn't take his medication this morning. Walter, why don't you stick to what you do best instead of shouting out random words and scaring people, huh? You're a lab rat, that's all.-Peter tried to prevent Walter from talking any further. –I think he said it because he always gets confused by the flashing of the traffic lights when he crosses the street. I'm still learning about all my father's peculiarities, but I have noticed he can be quite obsessive when a random idea enters his mind. A week ago all he would talk about were fruit cocktails.

-Your father is actually right. That was exactly what all the victims described, including the mother of our last victim, Ben Stockton.

-Walter-Olivia swallowed. –Do you… Do you happen to remember where did you hear about those lights? It could be very important.

-I… I don't. I'm sorry- Walter looked truly miserable while Peter squeezed his fists.

_It figures. _

_My father, ladies and gentlemen. _

_It turns out he is the one who can crack the case. But then… Guess what? _

_He can't. _

_What a surprise._

_Not really._

Peter sighed.

-Peter-Olivia leaned over and whispered into his ear. –Do you… Happen to know of the way in which we could jog Walter's memory?

Peter perversely enjoyed the ticklish feeling of her breath for several seconds before he replied.

-You know better than anyone else that Walter is like a child. You've seen him at work myriads of times. Basically anything could make him remember. A certain smell, sound… One word that he somehow magically associates with another… That's just the way in which this man's addled brain works. But one thing's certain. He feels best when he's in the lab. That's kinda his territory.

-So you suggest… What?

-We head back there and we try to figure out all this gibberish stuff about the green green green red lights. You can continue the search for Joanne Trotter-Peter suggested.

-Very well, team. I'll leave you to it-Broyles said, exiting the office.

_Good old Broyles_-Peter thought.

_Brief and run._

_That's his motto._

_Leave it to us to bust our humps._

**WHEN **father and son got to the lab, Astrid was nowhere to be found. It was almost noon, so Peter simply thought she probably went to get some lunch.

_Wish she'd bring us some food as well._

_Those three donuts I ate simply didn't cover for everything a young, growing scientist may need._

-Walter. I hope I don't need to emphasize how important it is that you remember where you heard of those lights. The kid's life is at stake. I'm just hoping you didn't use similar lights to hypnotize someone or something like that, and make them experience the interval of lost time-Peter yawned, lifting his feet on the table. –Maybe you're the one who's sleepwalking and kidnapping those people without even realizing it. Remember how you couldn't recall that you actually had experimented on that poor oafish fellow Roy Mc Comb….

-That's it, Peter!-Walter lunged at him spreading his arms into a hug but Peter jumped up from the chair and stepped away, mildly horrified.

-Walter… Remember what we talked about respecting personal space.

-You're right, son, I am sorry. But I just wanted to congratulate you on a job well done, boy, A +! What you've just said was on subject! Your mentioning of hypnosis gave me an idea, a theory as to how the boy was taken. A technology of intricate pattern of flashing lights can actually be used to induce a hypnagogic state. If you firstly focus on the timing and intensity of the flashes… And then include the colors… Theoretically, persons exposed to such flashes will do whatever they're commanded to.

-What if they were daltonists, if they suffered from color blindness?-Peter smirked, amused.

-Oh. Well… Then, I supposed it wouldn't have worked. They wouldn't be able to see green and red lights, just grey. Exactly like dogs and horses.

-So the colors are important as well in this case?

-Yes. I am going to reconstruct the flashing device now and then I could use your help.

-You mean… You could use a test subject. A guinea pig. An expendable gerbil. Me.

-Now, Peter, you must know that I wouldn't allow any harm to befall you.

-We don't know each other so well for you to tell me something like that and for me to believe in what you say-Peter said quietly, solemnly, thus stinging his father with his words. –But… Seeing how there's no one else around here and the time is ticking out… I guess I'll have to accept. No one guarantees it'll work anyway. How long do you think it'll take you?

-To reconstruct the device… Maybe half an hour. But then comes the hardest part. I have to figure out how to adjust it, in order to be able to change the timing and the intensity of the flashes.

-Okay. I'll be right here… Dozing off-Peter slumped back into a chair and closed his eyes. –You call me when you're done and ready to use me for the experiment. I am so tired-Peter yawned, stretching.

-When did you get back home last night?

Peter tensed.

-Around one a.m. Why?

-No reason. I am just curious. I didn't hear the sound of our bedroom door opening and I normally sleep very light. You have been spending a lot of time outside the hotel during the last couple of evenings, son.

-Sorry? Aren't I allowed to go out? Or I have to babysit you 24/7?

-Of course you are-Walter said rapidly.

-Walter. Our living arrangements are temporary. At least that's what Broyles told me and that's what I keep repeating to myself. Now, we maybe are sharing a living space but that doesn't give you right to follow my every step and to snoop around.

-Are you seeing someone?-Walter leaned forward with a smug grin.

-I am so not answering to that question.

Walter smiled knowingly.

-Agent Dunham had sex last night.

-Oh, come on. Walter, just stop! We're not really going there, are we?

Walter's facial expression remained alert and unaltered.

-Okay. We're going there-Peter took a deep sigh. –Let's suppose for a moment that what you're saying is true. So what if she did? That's her private life you're talking about.

-Did she have sex with you?

Peter started coughing so hard Walter had to come over and slap him on the back several times.

-With me?-he feigned incredulity. –With me of all people?

-Why not, son? You see each other every day in the lab… You are both two attractive youngsters and you both have sexual needs you should regularly fulfill…

_The funny thing is, that's what I've been saying to myself as well_-Peter thought. _Back when I was certain I might convince Dunham to become my friend with benefits._

-I've noticed the way you look at agent Dunham-Walter smirked.

-I'm a guy. Guys look at chicks all the time. It's scientifically proven. We ogle them and stare at them in a paralyzed state every now and then. I published a paper on that.

-With your falsified degree?-Walter sounded sad.

-Yes, with my falsified degree-Peter heaved a sigh. –Do you wanna hear what it was about?

It would be like 17 years late father and son school project-he said dryly, sardonically.

-Oh, yes, I'd love to!-Walter was happy Peter chose to share anything at all with him.

-Well there's the hourglass figure we all know and love… Then boobs… A woman's breast is one of the most obvious physical features that emphasize a woman's body, and they indicate to men, at least on a sub-conscious level, that a woman is fertile and past puberty. The fact that her body can afford to waste enough energy on developing and carrying around nicely shaped, but otherwise unnecessary lumps of fat obviously means she's ready to get attention from men and may also be available for sex. Next on: hips and butt…With evolution came bigger backsides and wider hips. A wide hip suggests an easier childbirth, and hips too, widen only after puberty. Perhaps this is another thing that ensured that a male would be able to recognize a female that has come of age. Men have always found a wide hip attractive, and the excess fat that is seen on the butt of women have found a special place in a man's eyes, especially if he's looking out for a potential mate and someone to carry on his lineage and produce good offspring. Since men can't actually see any specific region that emphasizes the readiness of a woman to mate, this outward spreading of a female's backside is the only sign, other than the breasts, to show that a woman is ready to mate. And excess fat on a body also shows a man that she can take good care of herself and forage for food which mattered a lot back in the early days, when survival of the young ones was so crucial. So there you have it. We're basically animals. But… Coming back to your question about Olivia… Looking isn't dipping. Whoever is doing the in and out with Olivia, it ain't me. And I've already told you. Me going out at night means: me catching up with high school buddies. Now… Enough of that talk. Listen, Walter. You need to focus and reconstruct the device.

-Okay! I hope there is a girl among those "high school buddies" of yours-Walter's face was beaming.

-Maybe there is-Peter replied cryptically.

_If I appease him, he'll hopefully start working and stop relating me to Olivia. The last thing I need now is for Walter to be onto me._

**HALF **an hour later, Walter woke Peter up and Peter rubbed his eyes, slowly getting up from the chair.

-Is it done?

-All done, son. Now come. Let me demonstrate. Come.

-What do you want me to do?

-Just stare at the lights.

-The more I'm looking at this thingamajig… The more I'm starting to think that this isn't gonna work at all but… Whatever-Peter focused on the flashing light device.

Peter wasn't certain how much time had passed but when he opened his eyes again he was firmly holding Walter in his embrace and he could see Astrid standing right next to them with a sweet, moved smile on her face.

He rapidly, angrily pushed his father away, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably and stepping away from him.

-Did you do this to me?

-I merely suggested you to do it. And you did. You listened to me. You also called me Dad when I asked you to-Walter was now smiling happily.

_I hope he isn't gonna start talking about that bullshit how you can't order a person to do under hypnosis what he or she wouldn't be willing to do in their conscious state of mind._

-Nice going, Walter. Manipulating my mind in order to get some affection from me. That's pathetic.

-It's not that, Peter, it's just… When I saw you were in a trance and properly hypnotized, so to speak, that "order" was the first one that occurred to me.

-Of course it was. So…-Peter fidgeted uncomfortably. –Now we know for sure that this is how the crazy resurrected lady had been kidnapping all these people, right?

-That is correct. Our part of work is done.

-Not quite yet it isn't, Walter. You still need to recall where you heard of these lights. Why don't you try some of your mnemonic techniques, see if that jogs your memory a bit?

-Good idea, son, good idea...-Walter was now flying all around the lab, waving his hands, and muttering unintelligible words into his chin.

-In the meantime, I really have to eat something. I'm starving. Gonna pop out for a burger real quick. Be right back.

-I brought some lunch-Astrid spoke up timidly.

-Did you now? Then maybe I don't have to go to the diner after all-Peter smirked. –Would you care to share?

-Yes, of course, I brought it for all of us.

-What did you get?-he asked, awkwardly.

Peter wasn't accustomed to talking to Astrid or… Paying much attention to her, really.

Sure, she was loads of help around the lab and it seemed she could calm Walter down in a jiffy when the need be, but Astrid was also quiet, direct and hardworking and their paths almost never crossed since she mostly moved out of his way and Peter moved out of hers. That was how they were managing to function until now.

They had a row when he left her alone with Walter for several hours but it seemed as if she had forgiven him that offense.

Still, Peter couldn't get the words she told him then out of his mind.

"_Do you care about anyone else except yourself, Peter?"_

_Do I?_-he wondered.

Her voice interrupted his inner monologue.

-Takeaway Chinese.

-It doesn't sound bad-he responded warily.

-Um, I got beef rice, chicken rice and shrimp rice… And then I also got meat… Mushroom beef, Teriyaki chicken and something called "Shrimp in Lobster sauce". I've never tried it before but… I like seafood so… It should be fine. I love eating in this restaurant.

-How much was it?-Peter inquired gruffly, looking at the floor, pulling out his wallet.

-This one's on me. You'll buy me lunch next time-her warm disarming, friendly smile made him grin cautiously back. –And you look like you could use a break.

-Yeah… I didn't sleep well last night…-Peter scratched his stubbled cheek. -Maybe five hours in total. And what will all the spring cleaning business and the kid's abduction…

They settled down at a wide wooden table.

-So which one do you want?

-Walter doesn't like seafood but he doesn't care, chicken or beef are good for him. I am very partial to seafood, I loved it since I was a kid. I developed a crush on freshly caught octopus salad.

-Oh my God, really?-Astrid sounded genuinely interested.

Peter thought it was actually quite easy to talk to her. Astrid was positive, kind and an extremely good listener.

_A type of person you should always have around._

-Where did you have freshly caught octopus salad?

-In Greece, back when I was ten years old. There were these awesome wooden restaurants near the cliff by the sea, so called "tavernas", but they were more like huts, really, with small tables in the garden and those white and red checkered tablecloths… At nighttime, people would sit around for hours, have long meals, lots of wine and heated conversations. In a taverna anything can happen, the entire place suddenly practically erupts into dancing, singing and plate-smashing, beyond what you could imagine. Greek people are very proud and passionate. It's like mass-insanity but beautiful. But it's not always like that, really… Most tavernas are quiet neighborhood places and everyone has a favorite taverna…

Astrid observed how the permanent scowl Peter was normally wearing, and his defensive, cross-armed attitude somewhat eased up. The deep worried crease between his eyebrows became less prominent as the obviously pleasant memory engulfed him.

Astrid didn't knew him all that well, but to her, Peter always seemed like a tortured, haunted soul, a lost soul who knew neither its origin nor its destination, sailing like a battered driftwood through the sea of life.

Astrid wasn't sure why, but she was deeply sorry for Peter.

It seemed as if he hadn't quite found his place in the world and that all emotions he once might have proudly worn on surface were now buried somewhere deep inside, mere ashes and shadows of their former selves.

-And then you could order a "freshly caught octopus salad" and you could actually see the cook walk towards the edge of the cliff, cast a fishing rod into the sea… Twenty minutes later, you would get your octopus. They'd even asked me if I was pleased with the octopus they caught for me. It was hilarious.

Astrid wondered if Peter had traveled to Greece with Walter and his mother, but having recalled the morning debacle, she firmly decided not to pry.

-Well then, I guess the seafood is yours-Astrid smiled. –Here you go: shrimp rice and shrimp in lobster sauce. I'll take the chicken and Walter can eat the beef later.

They ate in a slightly uncomfortable silence for a while.

Peter mulled on what could he possibly talk to her about and he remembered their last conversation.

-How are your German lessons coming?-he cleared his throat.

-Oh. Okay, I guess.

-Ready for another song translation? Unit two?-Peter grinned, pulling out his MP3 player out of his pocket.

Small smile played around Astrid's lips.

-Only if you can promise me that this tutorial session won't end like the last one.

Peter recalled the rude way in which he had shooed her away from the back room three days ago and his faux-kiss attempt.

-I promise-he said with a devilish grin and Astrid shook her head.

-Okay. I really hope you're telling the truth this time.

They shared the headphones once more, each one putting a bud into one of their ears.

-Are we listening to Rammstein again?

-Their songs are the only ones I have on my MP3 player at the moment so yeah, you're stuck with them.

-Do those rough guys sing ballads from now and then?

-They have several ballads, yes… But the lyrics of those are fairly complicated to understand. I guess the easiest one to comprehend is…-Peter browsed through his music folder and then gulped when he got to the song he was thinking of. –Ohne dich.

-Without you?

-Yes. Here, let me play the chorus for you. It's… Easy to understand.

"Ohne dich kann ich nicht sein

Ohne dich

Mit dir bin ich auch allein

Ohne dich

Ohne dich zähl ich die Stunden ohne dich

Mit dir stehen die Sekunden

Lohnen nicht ohne dich"

-It is. I… I understood everything except one word. "Lohnen"?

-"To be worth".

-His voice is beautiful and… Imbued with emotions in this song. It gives me goosebumps for some reason. And the lyrics are so sad.

Peter merely nodded.

-So is it:

"Without you I cannot be

Without you

With you I am alone too

Without you

Without you I count the hours without you

With you the seconds stand still

They aren't worth it without you"

-A + , girl-a sad smile played on Peter's lips. –Sorry, it's just the stupid thing Walter says when I do something good.

-What is the name of the lead singer?

-Till Lindemann.

-Well from all that roaring and screaming I couldn't really recognize the quality of his voice but it really stands out in this song.

-That's because it was special to him. It… It speaks of expressing mourning over the loss of a loved person. It is also said to contain suicidal thoughts. Suicide sometimes seems like the last option when you've lost the one you've truly loved, and you cannot feel like you can go on without their guidance, or their comfort. And because of this, ending your life seems like a good way to annihilate the feeling of sadness. I used to play this song on repeat many times years ago. Dark… Meaningless…Empty. How I used to feel inside-Peter stopped talking abruptly and his head drooped downwards.

Astrid was quiet for a time.

-Oh my God. That's just so… Depressive, Peter.

-Well, Till Lindemann was in a depressive mood when he wrote and composed it. His mother had just passed away.

Astrid remained speechless after having heard that remark, not really knowing what to tell Peter.

A minute or so later, Peter snorted and waved his hand, as if sending those dark thoughts away.

-But that's no reason why we can't enjoy our lunch, Agent Farnsworth, is it now? When I said there was nothing else on my MP3 player, what I really meant was: nothing else in German.

He pressed the "play" button and Astrid beamed at the familiar saxophone sound and the fast, cheerful rhythm.

-John Coltrane-she whispered.

-Trane the man. Gotta love that old dog-Peter winked at Astrid.

Neither of them spoke for a long while and the only sound that was heard was sound of forks as both Peter and Astrid paid full attention to their meals, looking at the plastic dishes and listening to jazz, each immersed into their own thoughts.


	12. Crazy House

**OLIVIA **entered the lab holding the copy of the equation she managed to obtain from Ben Stockton's mother. She hoped Walter or Peter might at least recognize the functions of which it was comprised, and somehow comprehend what Joanne Trotter was after.

Her surprised gaze firstly fell on Walter, who was running around, spread-eagled, making what Olivia thought sounded like Red Indians war scream.

In the midst of all that noise, Peter and Astrid were sitting carelessly at the big wooden table, having a lunch break, listening to music together, occasionally glancing towards Walter with disapproving looks.

They seemed like a tripartite family who was having a picnic in a park and while parents were chatting about this and that, their child was running around and playing.

She caught the way Peter smiled at Astrid amiably when she commented something about Walter's inappropriate behavior and when she rolled her eyes.

_It's not strange that they might grow close… After all… They spend so much time together in here every day. I just… Drop by every now and then and… I guess that's why I'm not part of the group. I'm their superior._

Olivia felt a little strange, as if a tiny dagger of regret stabbed her in the chest when she realized that Peter might soon bond with other women, date them and fall in love with them.

Sad smile adorned her lips.

_Am I jealous of Astrid? That's ridiculous. They are just colleagues and… And even if something happens between them in the future I… I shouldn't care about it. If not Astrid, it will be someone else. Because Peter doesn't have a reason to waste time. It's not like he's forced to… Wait for me or anything._

-Hey! What's going on?-Olivia inquired pleasantly and Peter sharply turned around at the sound of her voice, wiping his face with the napkin, almost bringing down his plate in the process.

_Easy, boy_-he chastised himself inwardly. _Obsession is not good for anyone._

-We're having a short lunch break together-he replied with a lopsided grin.

-So you two are friends now? That's nice to see.

-I… Wouldn't go that far. Let's just say I have begun to tolerate Astrid's presence in the lab and vice versa-was Peter's smart-ass response.

-Oh, Peter, honestly!-Astrid smiled and punched him on the shoulder, standing up. –I'm gonna go and call Walter to come and eat. His beef is getting cold.

-Yeah, everyone should enjoy beef while it's hot-Peter said perversely. –Hot beef. Get it?

-I'm not sure I want to understand that kind of joke-Astrid replied and took off towards Walter who was now positively doing push-ups.

Peter eventually stood up and faced Olivia with his hands in his pockets.

His eyes daringly fell on her cleavage and lingered there for several moments as he felt his joystick become half hard .

Peter licked his lips.

_Boobs. Full stop. _

_Being a man swine and likin' it. _

_Us men, in our healthy times, do get a stiffy just like that when we hear off, smell or see that special lady._

-Does the fact that Astrid and I are friends now bother you?-Peter spoke first, winking at Olivia saucily.

Olivia slowly shook her head with a slightly forced smile.

-No. I'm actually glad that you two are starting to get along. It contributes to a healthy working atmosphere.

-It's not like you can really complain, Dunham, you've had your chance last night and you didn't use it.

-It's… It's good to see you moving on so fast-she nodded uncomfortably.

-Well life is short and you should know that as well. Get the maximum pleasure out of it, sweetheart-he whispered into her ear and for the moment Olivia forgot why she was standing there and what she was doing, simply listening to his hastened breathing.

-Anyway. Pleasure is pleasure but… Business is business. Let me tell you what we've discovered so far. Those… Green green green red flashing lights… They've definitely put the mother into a hypnagogic state. It's official.

-Okay. Good work…-Olivia was still having some trouble absorbing the information which she had just obtained and she moved slightly away from Peter to focus better. –I've brought the copy of the equation.

-Let me have a look-he took the photograph from her hands, careful not to touch her and Olivia was actually surprised, but at the same time grateful for that choice. –It's written on some sort of whiteboard, with a marker?

-Yeah, that's a whiteboard in Ben's bedroom.

-Walter will know better what it represents, seeing how he's a mad genius and all that and I am a simple, common crook. Although, I can tell you one thing. See this function? It seems to be repetitively appearing in various parts of the equation, as some sort of recurrent expression. Like an incessant loop, really. It's all I can discern for now.

-What does that mean?

-Maybe that's precisely the part of the equation that the kid couldn't solve. Or… Somehow… That part of the equation is crucial to the whole. Hang on a second. Walter! Come here!

-I was about to try a new mnemonic technique Peter, you shouldn't interrupt me when I…

-Oh, come on. Your new mnemonic technique, which consists of farting and standing on one leg while reading a comic upside down. Spare me your ramblings, please. You could be of real use to us here. Olivia wants you to take a look at this equation.

-Oh! I love solving mathematical problems! It keeps my mind from thinking about Scarlet Johanson's boobs-Walter ran over to them enthusiastically.

-Really? That works for you? Gotta try it one day-Peter chortled, earning himself an incredulous look from Olivia. -Anything you can see there that could help us?-Peter inquired after having noticed how his father was staring at the numbers. –Just don't tell me you went into a hypnagogic state on us as well now.

-I know this equation!

-Let me guess: you yourself invented it way back when. How come that all the cases we have been solving so far magically lead us precisely to you and William Bell?

-That's preposterous. I'm primarily a chemist and so is Belly. I am not equally good at physics and mathematics.

-Why does it look familiar then, Walter?-Olivia asked, intrigued.

-I didn't say it looked familiar, I said I knew exactly what it was! I have seen it on the wall.

-On the wall? What wall?-Peter snorted. –Now I've heard it all. What are you talking about? Would you just talk like a person?

-And not only on the wall. On the table, on the napkins, on the sleeves, on the skin…-Walter went on enumerating with an eerie tone of voice and Olivia let out a barely audible impatient sigh.

Peter rolled his eyes.

-He went into an obsessive trance. Now we're not getting anything out of him at this point.

-When I was at the asylum, a fellow inmate of mine was obsessed with it. He used to try to solve it all day when he first came to the mental institution. Endorsed a dining room wall with it and then the warden made him scrub it all off with a wet sponge… Like a mischievous boy-Walter smiled widely. –Then he went on writing it on napkins, on the sleeves of his…

-Straightjacket.

-Yes, thank you. And he would write and rewrite its parts on the palm of his hands countless times. You just couldn't stop him from trying and retrying to solve it. I'd recognize his handywork anywhere. We had a lot in common, him and I…

-I'm sure you did-Peter said sardonically. –Looney Tunes for the win.

-He used to tell me the most marvelous stories…. I remember he told me a story about a beautiful woman who came for him and put him to sleep with green and red lights.

-So you are saying he was trying to solve the very same equation? Who was he, Walter?-Olivia asked.

-Dashiell Kim. And he was the one who mentioned the lights to me, I am certain of it. I would very much like to know… What is it? What does the equation both Dashiell and the boy were trying to solve represent?

-Do you think maybe he knows something? Perhaps we can… Talk to him? Is he still in the asylum? Why was he institutionalized?-her voice was eager.

-Oh, he and his wife had one of those typical everyday marriage rows and… It ended unfortunately.

-Unfortunately how?-Peter asked warily but then he raised his palm in the air. –Wait. Hold it… Don't tell me. I don't think I wanna know.

-I am going to tell Charlie to find everything he can on him. He might as well be our lead to saving Ben-Olivia stated, pulling the cell phone out of her jacket pocket.

**ONE **hour later, the team gathered around, staring at the detailed descriptive e-mail Astrid had just received from Charlie.

-I'm just gonna print it right here… There we go-Astrid took the now printed document and handed it to Olivia.

Her eyes rapidly flew over the lines.

-Well, it says here that he headed up astrophysics at UMASS. Went missing in May 2006.

-He was one of the abductees?-Astrid exclaimed.

-Yes… He turned up a week later at his home, where he had a psychotic break. He fits the description Broyles gave us about the people who were abducted. He said: "Whatever had been done to them… Drove them insane. They were trying to hurt themselves or they would turn against their loved ones. Lamentably, all of them were incapable of recalling what happened during the abduction." He… Um… Bludgeoned his wife to death with a tire iron. After… Thirty two years of marriage.

-A typical everyday marriage row, eh Walter?-Peter smirked. –That's why I'm never getting married. No fun… No fun at all. Just… Constant nagging, repetitive, boring sex or no sex at all for that matter and… Tire iron bludgeoning-Peter yawned.

-We need to visit this man now. He maybe remembers some specific things which might help us locate the place where the boy was taken-Olivia paced around the lab nervously. –I'm gonna call Broyles, see if we can get an interview request pushed through legal so we can arrange a visitation.

**WHEN **Olivia came out of her office after fifteen minutes or so, she had a worried, dissatisfied scowl written all over her face.

-That look doesn't say: I've just talked to Broyles and successfully arranged an interview request-Peter joked cautiously.

-The first thing he told me was that Dashiell Kim is "criminally insane with knowledge of state secrets".

-Oh, yes, I remember we used to tease each other about it, he's just like me, 1027-Walter exclaimed happily.

-I'm not entirely sure how proud you should be of that, Walter-Peter shook his head.

–So… What does that mean? You can't talk to him?-Astrid looked disappointed.

-No… Not without an official clearance. Which takes up to six weeks. That is time we don't have. The time Ben doesn't have-her beautiful face contorted in pain and Peter got a strange compulsion to… Comfort her.

He frowned at that urge and discarded it as temporary.

_All men are weak chevaliers when they see those subtle hints of "damsel in distress"._

_Don't need that kind of emotional baggage right now, do I?_

-So we tried to… Work around things or a bit-Olivia blushed. –Broyles had just called Dr Sumner and…

Walter dropped the photograph with the equation on the floor and it flew very near the bucket full of water which proudly stood there as an obvious sign of a recently completed spring cleaning. He suddenly looked like a frightened child.

-Hey, watch it, Walter, it's our only copy! What the hell is the matter with you?

-Nothing-Walter lied, shaking his head rapidly. –I'm fine. It slipped through my fingers, that's all.

-I see what's going on here. You freaked out because the name of the head of "St. Claire'" mental institution was mentioned. Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?-Peter mocked him. –He's not really here, Walter, Olivia is just talking about him, get it?

Olivia frowned with displeasure at Peter's interruption and then went on.

-Lamentably, he wasn't very cooperative. He said he couldn't subject Dashiell to new faces right now. He wouldn't budge, not even after Broyles told him a child might die… He…-Olivia looked at Walter worriedly. –He said that he… Would allow Walter… As a familiar face…To talk to Dashiell Kim and ask him all the questions we need answered-Olivia said slowly, emphasizing each word that was coming out of her mouth.

-I was afraid you'd say that-Walter whispered, cowering away from them.

-Oh, come on, Walter!-Peter exclaimed, cracking up. –This is stupid. You're behaving like a spoiled brat. What's the big deal? You go in there, chat with your crazy house buddy and you come out in ten minutes with the information. Or you're telling me you can't do even that? It's not like they're gonna keep you there for a month or something. Although I wouldn't mind it at all-he smirked. -You'd be collaborating on the case. You are in the spotlight now, old man. You could actually crack the case if you do it. And save little boy's life. If you care about that enough, that is. I know science is the love of your life and it occupies the first place while everything else sort of comes distant second. I also know that you'd love to stay here in the lab forever, milking Gene, inventing new weird nicknames for Astrid on purpose just to pull her leg, playing with your ingenious machines, flasks and simmering cauldrons. But you know… Human life also has some kind of value, wouldn't you agree?

-Of course I care. How can you even say something like that to me?-Walter uttered barely audibly.

-Peter…-Olivia felt he was way too harsh on his father.

Walter seemed terrified to her and she suddenly wasn't certain it was a good idea at all.

_But what other choice do we have?_-she wondered. _It's the only way we can make contact with Dashiell Kim. On the other hand… We have solved seven cases already with Walter's help. He is so valuable to Fringe division. What if he… Snaps? When he enters there again… We can't lose him._

-Look, Peter. After six months… Walter is feeling better and that is undeniable. He has made progress. But… He is still mentally unstable and… Maybe it's not such a good idea to send him back to the institution that… Made him that way-Olivia finished, talking in an extremely low voice, hoping that Walter, who had already gone to stand by the window, wasn't able to hear her.

-Olivia. It's Walter's caprice, really. Nothing's wrong with him. It's that weird fear he has of that place. Kinda like a dog which won't go into the elevator even though nothing bad will happen to him in there, but he doesn't know that. Really irritating, if you ask me. I mean, the kid is maybe lying in a ditch or dying somewhere. Who knows what Joanne Trotter is doing to him? And we're losing time cause Walter can't overcome his paranoia and sit in a room with someone for ten minutes. Because of … What? Unpleasant memories. He's giving up at the first obstacle. He's too soft. If I had done so whenever I'd encountered an obstruction, an impediment of some sort, I would be zillion times dead by now. Do you think someone was there to help me, when I used to fall? No. I was always on my own. Always-he reiterated with a metallic tone of voice and Olivia winced at the dangerous glint that appeared in Peter's eyes. -I had to remove the dust of my pants all by me onesies, ignore the scars and move along the grimy road of life. After every single obstacle. But not Walter. Just look at him. He's shitting his pants right now. I have a bloody coward for a father.

-Well, maybe there is a real, palpable reason for his fears… We don't know in detail how horrible his life was at the mental institution. Perhaps we shouldn't expose him to that kind of stressor again in the first place. There… There must be another way-Olivia felt very sorry for Walter.

-Olivia… There isn't. There isn't and you know that. You need the info from that tire iron guy Dashiell and without Sumner's permission… You'd have to get a… What's it called? Subpoena… And you and I both know it takes time.

-But Peter… Walter is also forgetful, you know how he is. And he doesn't always express clearly. I often have to ask you to interpret what he had just said or to help me focus him… Even if Walter speaks to his friend… Maybe he won't remember what Dashiell told him-Olivia was more and more convinced that the suggestion was a bad idea.

-I have noticed that you have a habit of referring to me as if I am not in the room. Does anyone care what I think?-Walter turned slowly away from the window and looked at them with a decisiveness written all over his wrinkled face.

-Oh, please-Peter snorted. -We know what you think and what you wanna do. You wanna recoil; hide in some rat hole... Barricade yourself from the outside world so that it can't find you and eat you. Well you know what, Walter? That's not how the life game is played. You're not a child. You're a man grown, your mental faculties are slowly coming back and… You should start behaving according to your own age and wits. Take responsibility over your life. I won't always be around when you need me to hold your hand.

-I'd rather not go-Walter gulped heavily, hiding his trembling, and disobedient hands in the pockets of his tattered white lab coat. -But I will. Every moment that passes is another moment that little boy's life is in danger. I will go if that will earn me my son's respect-he spoke up, mustering all the bravery he could.

-Not really. You've got a long way to go if that's the goal you want to achieve. But if you do this… If you show me that you can be brave and that you really care about that kid's life more than you care about facing your own fear… It might just be one small step towards earning it-Peter's voice was firm and implacable.

**HALF **an hour later, Olivia's SUV was already quietly sliding along the winding road and towards the asylum, carrying the three members of Fringe division to their ultimate goal.

They were all equally silent, immersed in their own thoughts.

Olivia kept her eyes on the road as the flashes of the last night occurrences burned in her mind as a remnant of shame, fear and pleasure.

Peter was alternating furtive lusty glances towards her and casual looks towards the rear view mirror, as he was checking up on Walter every now and then out of habit.

_I swear it, it's like he's transforming back into the man I saw on the first day I got him out of the mental institution with every passing kilometer. He's chickening out, his eyes are darting left and right… Come on. That's ridiculous. I mean, I get it, he spent 17 years in that unpleasant place but still… He's rational enough and he should be able to conclude that he'll spend no more than ten minutes in there. Then he's right back with me. Oh joy._

When they entered the building, Peter subconsciously hugged himself.

_It's even gloomier and quite colder than I recall it._

_Like some sort of dungeon in a medieval castle, really._

_Where's the fireplace around here, people?_

His ever watchful gaze took immediate notice of the grey, thick bleak walls and the periodical clanging of the metallic bars that opened in front of them and closed behind them, leading them deeper and deeper into the maze of the insanity.

Each time the ominous sound was heard, Walter would cringe and Peter went to walk by his side.

_The only thing I don't need right now is for him to get scared and run off God knows where. _

There was an obnoxious, stale odor in the air, the musky, repellent mix of medicines, urine and unwashed bodies.

_Walter's right about one thing. It's damn awful to live here. And pretty sad._

Strange voices and cries could be heard all around them, muttering incoherent words in interrupting cadences, buzzing disagreeably in Peter's ears, reminding him of a million of blind, obedient drones in a beehive.

He searched for Olivia mechanically with his eyes and she gave him a tiny encouraging nod when their gazes collided. That seemed to calm Peter down.

Walter squeezed his hand and he squeezed right back instinctively, wondering why the hell Walter was that horrified.

_Because he thinks he came back to the place he really belongs?_-Peter frowned.

_But he doesn't. Not now. I'll just emphasize that this is temporary and hope he'll come round._

-Come on, old man. It'll be over soon-Peter muttered uncomfortably, not really accustomed to seeing his father scared stiff.

When Dr Sumner came out to escort Walter into the common room where Dashiell Kim currently was, Peter suspiciously eyed him from head to toes and became rigid. He seemed all politeness and smiles, but his icy cold, calculated glare didn't give off a confident vibe to Peter at all.

Peter crossed his arms as Walter covered behind him, staring at his son's back.

Peter especially hated the way the man was looking at Walter, with a poorly hidden mixture of contempt, disdain and disgust.

_I get to look at Walter like that sometimes because… Because of everything he did to me and my mother. But this man… Has no reason to do it at all. _

And the way his eyes glittered when Walter finally entered the asylum part where inmates were held, cringing when the door close shut behind him…

Peter had enough experience with that type of people to know that this man didn't mean well to his father.

Peter intuitively almost started after him, noticing Walter slipped, but then he saw how Dr Sumner's firm hand straightened him and he stopped.

Walter turned around several times, like a sad dog whose owner was leaving him in a dog pound never to return.

Peter repeated to himself one more time that Walter was imagining things, more to silence his own rabid, barking suspicions.

As the time was going by, Peter inadvertently, slowly started pacing around.

_What the hell is going on in there? Twenty minutes have passed already._

Olivia tenderly placed her hand on his shoulder sensing his distress and he stilled.

-Walter should be out any minute now.

-Yeah, I know, I'm just bored-Peter shrugged imperturbably. –Not much to do, and nothing to see here. I'm kinda hungry too.

-You're always hungry.

-And don't you know it-he smiled at her, teasing.

Dr. Sumner emerged behind bars, eerily pale and serious.

-I am sorry, but Walter Bishop is going to have to stay for a while longer with us.

Olivia lashed out at him.

-What do you mean, for a while longer? For what possible reason?

Peter was quiet but his muscles tensed as he came to stand by the two of them, carefully judging the situation.

-During his conversation with Mr. Kim, Walter became… Agitated… He accosted Mr. Kim. We had to calm him down by sedating him. He was disturbing the other patients as well.

-You sedated him?-Olivia couldn't believe her ears. –And might I remind you that you have no legal right to keep him here? He's under our supervision, under his son's legal custody and you are currently obstructing a criminal investigation-she was furious but Peter kept on staring cautiously, imbibing every word that was spoken and wishing to see what kind of game this man was playing.

-Maybe that was precisely that had exacerbated the worst features of his mental illness. Him, forming part of some kind of… Division… Pretending that he was useful in solving those criminal cases… Feeding his delusions in the worst possible way.

_Delusions?_-Peter thought. _So what, the rest of us had been hallucinating as well? Oh, come on. I just want to hear when they are planning to release him. I'm not interested in these tedious explanations. Walter… He's not cut out for this place. Didn't really believe him until I came here. _

-Release doctor Bishop into our custody immediately!-Olivia slammed her hand on the table and Peter snapped out of his thoughts, amazed at her gesture.

_She really… Cares about Walter._

-And if I refuse?-the man leaned slightly backwards in his chair, leering.

Peter wished to shove his fist into Dr. Sumner's teeth for treating Olivia like that.

_The protectiveness strikes again. _

_She can obviously look well enough after herself, and she has proven that on countless occasions._

-Then I will get a court order and you will have no choice-her voice was angry.

-You go get your court order, then. Have a good day.

Peter exploded. He reached the man in two steps and grabbed his shirt collar.

-Why are you fucking around with us?

-Peter… Don't…-Olivia's eyes widened, never having seen him that rabid before.

-Sooner… Or… Later. Walter will be released. So what's it to you if it's later rather than sooner? You enjoy torturing people? Scaring them? You get off on that? You get some kind of weird, psycho personal satisfaction knowing that he's under your temporary supervision now and there's nothing we can do about it? Answer me!-he growled and squeezed his neck so hard that the man started gurgling.

-Peter, stop!-Olivia pulled him off of Dr Sumner.

-Well… Well…-Dr Sumner coughed, fighting for breath. –The veins of insanity apparently run deep in the family. Maybe you should spend some time with us as well, Mr. Bishop.

-What did you just say? What did you just say to me?-Peter snarled, starting towards Dr. Sumner once again.

-Peter, get out. Now-Olivia's voice was angry and he obeyed her, eventually, but he gave the man one last ominous stare before exiting his office.

Olivia snapped at him when she came out, a minute or so later.

-What the hell was that?-she whispered furiously.

-He was fucking around with us, and he was mocking you.

-You exaggerated, Peter.

-I won't take any shit from anyone-his breathing was ragged.

-You have to learn to control your emotions. Those were just empty words. He doesn't really wield that kind of power to keep Walter in here forever. Once I get the court order he's out. And there's nothing Dr. Sumner can say or do about it. Don't ever do something like that again.

-Fine.

Peter started towards the exit alone, in silence, without even looking at Olivia, hands in his pockets, winding down the narrow, gray, non-descript, seemingly endless passages.

Moans of the patients were heard all around him and he saw their hands outstretched towards him wherever he looked; they were like beggars, but they weren't devoid of money. They were imprisoned and devoid of their lives and their sanity.

**ONCE **they were back in the FBI offices, Olivia immediately inquired about the search for Ben Stockton.

Of course, Olivia was worried for Walter, but she was also sad because he wasn't able to find out what exactly had happened to Dashiell Kim. Time was ticking away and the boy's life was still in danger. That danger exponentially increased with every hour, every minute that passed by.

Peter stood right behind her as a faithful shadow. He couldn't get Dr. Sumner's smug facial expression out of his mind.

_That motherfucker. He won't have it his way. I won't let him. Maybe it's the personal satisfaction I want for the way he humiliated me back there but…. This won't end like this. _

-Peter-when she turned towards him, Olivia sounded tired and… _Sad?_-he thought.

-How soon?-his voice was calm, cold and expectant.

-I… I just talked to my contacts over the phone… I told them I… Wanted them to work around the protocol. But it's Friday evening and… We have to wait till Monday morning until we can get the court order to have Walter released.

-But then he's out? Sumner can't keep him in there for longer than three days?

-Yes. I promise.

-I admit it was partially my fault-those words came out dragging from Peter's mouth. –I practically coerced him to go, I taunted him. I didn't expect Walter to snap so easily under the pressure once inside. But I didn't imagine they'd use that as an excuse to keep him there-Peter clenched his fists. –Perhaps you were right. This wasn't a good idea.

-No-Olivia said. –It was your father's decision. He wanted to go, he wanted to help, to save Ben.

-How's that coming along?-Peter was looking forward to changing the subject.

-We have no leads whatsoever-the tears welled in her eyes before she could stop them. She hated being weak but…The moment had overwhelmed her. –It's just that… Sorry. Some cases get to me more than the others. He is so young, Peter. Life is… Only beginning for him… So many new possibilities. It shouldn't be the end of the road. Not for a child-Olivia trembled.

-I understand-Peter towered above her, following two salty drops that were sliding down Olivia's cheeks with his eyes, suddenly wanting to remove them with his thumb.

-I just wish we knew where she was. Joanne Trotter.

-Well, everyone thought she was dead, but she's been walking around for a last decade. What does that tell you?-he knew if he put Olivia in the super special agent mode, if he made her think hard, that might make her forget about her sadness even if just for a little while.

-Maybe she was using somebody else's name, I know. We've already done the alias search but we didn't get any hits.

-What'd you base the search on?

-On the anagrams. At the academy…. We learned that was the most common way for people to hide their identity.

-But it is not the only way-Peter said in a deep voice, as his eyes glinted perilously in the semi-darkness of her office.

Olivia wondered if he had ever attempted to hide his identity as well, but opted against asking him. She was not sure she wanted to know, especially not after… After the scene she had witnessed in Dr. Sumner's office that afternoon.

-What other way is there?

-The derivation. The similes. Find the word that has the more or less the same meaning as your last name. It's easier to remember. Is there a computer around here that I could use?

Several minutes later, he was standing in front of her with a smug, wide, childlike smile with a printed document in his hand and Olivia instinctively smiled back.

It was impossible not to. Peter's moods were so contagious and so intense that she basically lived through them at the same time he did. She wondered if all people felt like that when they were near him.

-So did you find anything?

-I did.

-Joanne Letterman. P.O. Box in Clarksburg?-she read out loud.

-Yeah, look: no photo, no verified address, unknown age, unknown marital status… Relatives, associates, property records… Nothing. FBI database doesn't have any data on her whatsoever. And check this out: "Trotter". Middle English for "messenger".

-Middle English?-she raised one eyebrow.

-Yeah, apparently, I'm Mr. Know-It-All. It was quite an interesting language as far as descriptive occupations were concerned. For example: "Turnkey" was Middle English for a prison warden, a jail keeper, because he was the guy who used to turn keys. Or… "Out Crier" was an auctioneer. As for "Trotter": you see, messengers had to be quick, to run or to "trot", so to speak, from one destination to another in order to convey a message. Later they literally "trotted" on horses. And that's why they were called trotters. The point is, "messenger" brought me to "postman", "post", "letter" and "letterman". So I cross-indexed those words with her first name. And there you have it.

-But… P.O. Box?

-Let's face it, Dunham. People like me really don't like people like you knowing where they live.

-People like you? You mean criminals?

-That's exactly what I mean.

-Peter, that's not who you are anymore. You… You came to the other side now. To the side of light-she attempted to joke but he merely snorted and left it at that.

-Okay. Then I'll tell everyone to expand the grid search for Ben Stockton to Clarksburg. In the meantime, you should get some sleep. Walter, Astrid and you did a great job today. I am sorry about what happened.

Peter swallowed, recalling his father again but deciding not to dwell on those thoughts.

_Monday it is. Apparently, there's nothing I can do about it._

-What about you? When will you be home?

-I want to stay and help as much as possible. I think I'll go join Charlie and his team when they go to Clarksburg to ask local residents about Ben.

-Now? It's half past seven p.m. It's almost getting dark.

-Charlie told me they'd keep asking around till half past nine or so. So I still have two hours. It's… It's gonna go faster if I join them. I guess… I'll be home around ten or so, I really don't know.

-Need a hand?-those words flew out of Peter's mouth before he was even aware what he was saying. He looked equally surprised as Olivia.

_Say no. Say no. Say no. _

_Stupid. Why did I ask her that?_

_Bishop, you're getting all mellow._

-No, thank you, Peter-she caressed him with her eyes. –Go and get some rest. You've been through a lot today.

-Okay. So I'll see you tomorrow?

-Yeah-she nodded and promptly left, tossing her hair over her shoulders, leaving her unique scent behind her and Peter closed his eyes and widened his nostrils, fully enjoying it.

**WHEN **Peter got back into a hotel, strange silence was waiting for him in the room but he welcomed it as an old friend.

_Home sweet home. Walterless home, at that. I got the unexpected three-day holiday. Finally, I can rest from my father. Dedicate myself to myself without constantly having to be on his heels._

_God I need a shower._

He strolled to the bathroom, whistling a jovial tune, enjoying the fact that he was finally alone.

Peter expected to find it filthy as usual but he was actually surprised when he realized it was rather clean.

_Well what do you know. Walter actually remembered to drain the tub. _

_Come to think of it, it feels rather strange when he's not right outside, banging on the door and demanding to come in because he somehow needs to use the bathroom when I'm having a shower. _

After Peter came out of the bathroom and got dressed, he went into the kitchen next and made himself a baloney sandwich.

His gaze fell on the waffle iron and he almost choked on his food, laughing. He recalled how he found Walter baking waffles for him completely naked, just wearing a white "Kiss the chef" apron on one Tuesday morning.

_Naked Tuesdays. Gotta love those. _

_I actually have to admit Walter is occasionally fun to be around, but he is mostly too noisy, irritating and a handful. _

_I wonder if I should hit the hay. It's early but… I might need to get up early as well. _

_Or…_

_I could go and see Olivia as an Inviso-man. I think I've got my background story pretty much figured out. Introductions are in order._

_She did mention she'd be back by ten p.m. _

_But it's not even nine o'clock. _

_Maybe a quick nap and then… _

_Thankfully, I can finally sleep on the bed, now that Walter isn't here to occupy it in its entirety. _

Peter entered the bedroom and he chuckled after having seen an enframed photo on the nightstand.

It was a photo that Walter made Astrid take couple of weeks before that, on which Walter was standing proudly beside Gene, caressing her muzzle with one hand and forcefully pulling Peter into a hug with the other one. It was painfully obvious from his facial expression that Peter didn't even wanna be on the photo.

_Walter was so thrilled. Called it a family photo. Yeah. Bovine family. As if._

Peter took a deep sigh and he was about to slump on the bed when he saw an ugly yellow pond adorning the once clean sheets.

-Oh, come on! He pissed the bed again! And he didn't tell me. This stain has been here since we left the room, for the last 12 hours at least. Crap. Who knows if it even can be washed properly.

He stripped the entire bed and took off towards the washing machine with sheets in his hands, closing his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

_No sleeping on bed tonight I guess._

_Maybe I could see what's on TV._

Peter flipped through the meaningless channels during five minutes; not having found anything appeasing at all, he stood up and started pacing around the room.

There was suddenly nothing for him to do.

Walter wasn't there, obviously, so he didn't have to look after him.

The bathroom was clean. The kitchen-clean. The bedroom, after he took care of that unwanted yellow sheet casualty, now finally looked clean as well. He had a shower, he ate… And he was horribly bored.

_And it finally happened. I became that parent. _

_I guess this is how a mother feels when her kid is away on excursion._

_Firstly, she is overjoyed she'll be having some time to herself. _

_Then she realizes she doesn't know what to do with that extra time. And then she starts calling her kid every now and then to check up on him._

_Ha-ha._

_Now that Walter is away on a looney bin tour…_

_I have no idea what to do with my extra time. _

_He doesn't have a phone in there. _

_But… I could pay him a surprise visit. Drop by the crazy house and see how he's holding up._

_I've never took two serum dosages in one night._

_But there's always the first time for everything. _

_Yeah, I'll do that. Why not? Stretch my legs for a bit, go for a walk. Gotta kill time till ten p.m._

Peter promptly took off after that decision, making a stop by the lab and taking two syringes filled with the invisibility serum.

**AT **21.00 p.m. he was already near the asylum premises. He parked his car a bit further from the entrance and injected himself.

The place even seemed more dismal then during the day, because the night shades mingled with the grayness of the walls were enhancing the overall bleak impression.

_And it's even colder inside than this afternoon, although I wouldn't have thought it technically possible._

He stopped by the reception, ogling the blond nurse for a while, because she bent down to reach the piece of paper that had fallen on the floor.

_Nice ass._

_Though… Olivia has a better one._

_Now… Let's see…_-Peter stared at the room list.

_Walter Bishop… Room 314. _

_Okay._

_Heading there._

In the hallway, Peter almost collided with Dr. Sumner who was apparently going home, and he vindictively clenched his fists as he passed the slimy man by, instinctively slipping his left palm into his jeans and caressing the blade of his pocket knife.

_Why bother? Don't wanna stain it with pig blood. _

Terrifying screams and cackles reverberated all around Peter as he was walking down the hallway and he instinctively covered his ears.

_This place. It just… Gives me the chills. _

_Is it like this here 24/7? Time stands still… No one leaves and no one will._

_Locked doors, barred windows._

_Scarred brains._

-After this, you're going to shut up and sleep! Did you hear me? Shut the fuck up!

Peter started towards the direction from which the voice was coming and his blood boiled with rage when he saw a member of a medical staff hit the patient across the mouth, dragging the whimpering man, drenched in water, through the hallway.

Another guy came and joined the first one, slapping him on the back.

-Hey, Johnny. What's up?

-Napoleon here just wouldn't shut his damn mouth, so I gave him a cold night shower-the man whose name was apparently Johnny sniggered.

-Good one. I gave a double dose of sedatives to that crazy hag. She wouldn't stop screeching that favorite song of hers, "I dreamed a dream" or something like that, in that ugly voice. That'll teach her.

_What the fuck is going on in here?_

_This is like a dark, horrifying psychiatric ward in a Hollywood movie._

_The kind where the patients are abused by hospital workers, overdosed with medications to keep them sedated, and then dumped on the streets when the insurance money runs out? _

_Well Aldous Huxley apparently had a point when he said:_

"_Maybe this world is another planet's hell"._

_Why doesn't anyone speak up?_

_Communicate with law enforcement authorities?_

_Maybe these people are drugged out of their minds._

_Walter._

Peter practically ran towards the room 314 and passed through the door with the speed of lightning without being able to contain the angst that gathered inside him, threatening to burst out.

It was a narrow, poorly lit and poorly ventilated dusty room and the only streak of light was coming from the lonely streetlamp ray.

There was nothing inside except one bed.

Walter was sleeping, trembling and covering in his dream, and Peter stood above him in silence, staring down at his father with an unnamed feeling, a mixture of pity and regret.

_You were right, Walter. _

_You don't belong here._

_Even I would freak out in this place and that's saying something. I'm used to all kind of treatments but this is just sad. _

_They behave towards the patients as if they were garbage._

As if he could hear him, Walter's eyes opened up sharply and he promptly sat upright in bed.

Peter stammered backwards but Walter's gaze seemed to follow his movement.

_That's impossible. He can't see me. Why the heck is he looking at me?_

-You came back… No!-Walter's voice sounded disheartened and terror-stricken.

Just as Peter was wondering what the hell was happening, Walter slowly turned his head to the other side and spoke in a different, dominant, cold and authoritative voice.

-I never left you, Walter. I was always here. Waiting for my opportunity to strike. To remind you who you once were. Powerful. Strong. Hungry for science. Hungry for fame and recognition.

Peter froze on the spot. Every nerve in his body was on the edge and he could feel his bile rise in his throat when he realized what was going on.

_He is… Talking to himself._

The words Walter told him couple of days ago came back to Peter in their fullest meaning.

"_Son. Sometimes I still wake up and think… That you'll leave me and that I'll have to come back to that dreadful place. My mind would then start playing tricks on me again"_.

Walter then replied to his counterpart.

-I… I… I am not that man anymore. That man was evil. And selfish.

-But you will stay here forever. And I will visit every night to make sure you don't forget.

-Forever? Oh, no, you see, that was just a little misunderstanding. What happened today…-Walter started with a hint of a smile.

-Misunderstanding? Misunderstanding? How deep can you sink? No, Walter. This is the end of the road. And no one is coming to save you. You don't have anyone. You are alone in this world… Crazy and alone.

Walter started sobbing.

-No… That's not true!

-Oh, but it is. Who do you have, you poor old fool?

-My son… Peter. My son will come for me. Just you wait and see. He promised. He… he told me… "Walter… It's just ten minutes and then you're out. You need to be brave…" You see… There was this boy and…-Walter covered his face with his hands.

-Your son? Your son? You have no son, remember? Remember what you did, Walter?

-I do. I do have a son… He came back. He is here with me. And he looks after me now and I am not alone. Tomorrow morning… Tomorrow the sun will rise and Peter will walk in here and hug me and tell me: "Walter, let's go home"-Walter said tentatively with a hint of pride in his voice.

-Your son hates you. Your son is a monster.

-Peter is not a monster. He's a good boy. He is my good boy. He just doesn't understand…

-And he never will.

-Please stop, go away…Go away! Leave now and never come back!-Walter screamed.

-All right. I will leave now.

-You will?-there was desperate hope in Walter's voice.

-Yes.

-Oh. Good. Thank you-the tone that Walter used was the same one he used when Astrid would pass him an instrument he required in the lab.

-But I will come back, Walter… I always do-horrible laughter erupted from Walter's mouth as he was mocking himself; then his shoulders slumped and he convulsed, sobbing as his alter ego apparently temporarily abandoned him.

Loud bang was heard on the door and Peter jumped up as if suddenly woken from a trance.

-Hey! Bishop! Shut the fuck up!

-I… I'm sorry… I won't make noise again. I…I just had a bad dream-Walter was fisting the tears away from his eyes, trying his best to calm down.

-Well you'd better not have another one or I'll give you the time of your life!

It took all self-control Peter had in him in order to stop himself from blasting through that door and slitting that man's throat.

He was swallowing hard. He was on the verge of grabbing Walter and injecting him with the remaining invisibility serum syringe he had left.

He wanted them both to pass through the door of that infernal room… To go outside and… Just breathe the free air.

_Walter needs to get out of this giant horror show. As soon as possible_-Peter was breathing heavily as droplets of sweat were jumping out on his forehead.

_There must be a way, damn it. No one… No one deserves to live through this… Nightmare._

_Walter isn't staying here until Monday. _

_Not another day._

When Walter finally managed to fall asleep again, whimpering and shaking, Peter casted one last, long glance in his father's direction and came out.

He was back at the reception in no time, checking the room list again.

After he obtained the information he needed, Peter started towards Sumner's office.

_Let's dig up some dirt on Sumner._

_There has to be some evidence of these gross violations of medical care._

**IT **was already quarter to ten when Peter emerged from the asylum, still invisible, incriminating documents he needed safely tucked inside his jacket.

After ten minute drive, his nervous, dragging feet led him to the Boston cemetery.

Even though he was staggering uncertainly, Peter easily, unmistakably reached the tomb stone he hadn't visited in many, many years.

He could always find it with his eyes closed.

In fact, Peter knew he could find it even if someone accidentally left him forever blind.

He was deeply under the impression of the impacting transformation he had just witnessed in his father.

Peter felt awful, as if he weren't alive at all, but a simple limp sack of meat forcedly sewn together with weak stitches.

Stitches that were now rapidly falling apart, threatening to annihilate him.

He fell on his knees and touched the cold tomb stone reverently with his feverish lips.

-Γεια σου. Μάνα. Mανούλα…-he whispered tenderly, words barely leaving his throat. –I'm back. Your son is back.

Then a hastened streak of short, repentant sentences spurted out of Peter's mouth.

-I… I'm not all you wished of me. I'm… I'm far from it. I've done all wrong, μάνα. I've had an array of choices laid out in front of me… And I made all the wrong ones. I've wronged my father. I taunted him, and by doing it I thought I am getting back at him for all those years I've spent without him, for all those years that hurt and it was his fault. I never realized how hard it was for him too. I… I never understood that by hurting Walter, I was hurting myself as well, constantly reopening the old wounds instead of licking them and thus preventing them from healing. By lashing out at him, I was corrupting myself more and more, allowing myself to become that very monster I wanted to destroy in Walter, by trying to rise above him, to be better than he is… You remember how you always used to tell me… Every night before I went to sleep… Να είναι καλύτερο άνθρωπο από τον πατέρα του. Now I know I have never fully understood what it meant until… Until now… Now I know that… What you wanted me to do… Was to keep my people close. Look after the people I loved… And… What you meant by "better"... Was… To become… More human. And I failed. I… Got lost along the way. But I'll make it all better… I promise, μάνα. I swear. My… Life is an open book and I won't close it till it's done. I'm gonna make things right if it was the last thing I do. I love you, μάνα. Σ 'αγαπώ για πάντα.

With those last words directed to his mother, Peter stumbled out of the cemetery without turning back, tears running down his face. He was broken once again.

_I can't… I can't think… I need… I need Olivia. So fucking much._

_God, I need… To hold her close. Just to hear that tender voice… To see that all-forgiving smile… To lose myself in her… To drown in her skin, in her scent… To forget. _

**OLIVIA **finally entered her apartment around 10.15. p.m. and she sighed with relief after finally having taken her shoes off. Her legs felt as if they were made of lead.

She had been walking around Clarksburg incessantly for the last three hours, talking with the locals and showing Ben's photo around. She knew she needed to go to bed immediately, if she were to wake up at 6 a.m. tomorrow and rejoin the renewed search.

She carelessly threw her trench coat over the chair, poured herself a shot of whiskey and sat on the couch in the living room in order to relax a bit.

_What a day this has been. At last, I'm home._

Olivia knew her modest home wasn't much. One small, simply adorned living room, two bedrooms, one of which she actually never used, a kitchen and a small bathroom were all she had. But it was something.

It symbolized a place she could go back to after the hard day's work and unwind.

Lower her guard, remove her mask and loosen up.

Within these four walls that successfully shielded her privacy, she was not afraid of being who she really was.

After having downed the shot of whiskey, Olivia started for the kitchen in order to check upon Lemondrop.

_Poor budgie. I brought him here to keep me company, and now I am the one who is leaving him alone all day. It's sad, really. When I bought him, the pet shop store owner warned me that budgies are primarily social birds, I remember perfectly well he told me that preening, eating, napping, socializing are all done as a flock. "If your budgie is lone he will be missing a vital aspect of his life. In this case, it is best to provide your budgie with a flock-mate, another budgie, in an appropriately sized cage for two. If your budgie is tame, you must make him feel like your family is his flock. Your budgie also needs daily time out of the cage, with plenty of interaction."-_Olivia felt guilty for not having seen the bird during more than twelve hours.

_I am a horrible pet owner. I'm gonna go feed him and play with him straight away at least for a while before I go to bed._

When Olivia turned on the light and went towards the cage, she noticed that Lemondrop had already been napping.

_Poor little guy. It's no wonder. It's nearly half past ten, and seeing how it was dark in here, he probably thought he should go to sleep. _

Then Olivia froze in spot after having approached the cage and after having inspected it carefully.

The water and the food were recently replenished and the paper towel she normally used to put on the cage floor in the evening before she went to sleep had already been changed.

_But… How?_

A sense of dread enveloped her instantaneously when Olivia felt two warm palms being placed gently on her shoulders, sending small jolts of electricity all along her body.

She jumped up, alarmed.

_It's… It's him. He's back. But how? Why? And how dare he? After… Last night._-she went beet red in face.

_-Don't be afraid_-the throaty, raspy voice that was whispering in her ear and that she remembered so well from last night sounded strangely comforting.

-Did… Did you do all that? Did you feed him?-she motioned vaguely towards Lemondrop's cage.

_-Yes_-the voice now positively had amused tone.

-Why? Why are you here again? What do you want?-Olivia whispered in a shaky voice, feeling those arms wrap around her waist with peculiar care and tenderness, and somehow knowing that he meant her no harm.

-_You. _


	13. U-Gene

**Hi guys, here's another longish chapter for you. **

**It has two long parts, really: one conversational, and one very, very smutty.**

**So real M rating in this one. Cover your eyes! :)**

**It's great to see that you are enjoying the story. **

**Thanks for all the reviews and constructive comments. **

**I see you have been noticing the changes in Peter already, so yes, I'll just confirm that he has/will become slightly better towards his father and he has begun to grow a heart (or he has remembered he had one, whichever you prefer) thanks to the events he had witnessed in the asylum. **

**Though, he still has to fall for Olivia with that recovered heart of his and not only with his… Other... Bodily parts. :) **

**But he'll get there eventually. **

**He is still not quite the same Peter we all know and love from the show. You could say the same for "my" Olivia, but that's just because of my artistic liberty, I guess. :)**

**In this chapter, I am introducing a new/old character to the story. **

**You might remember him from the 4****th**** season of the show; he actually served as an initial inspiration for this entire fanfic, being Peter's invented alter ego and all that.**

**He is here to stay: he is going to stick around for several chapters. **

**I hope you'll like both him and Eulivia story line. :)**

**Thanks to lisa92gene for helping me shape his background story!**

**Happy reading.**

**OLIVIA **was careful not to move, not to make a sound.

Her heart was beating incredibly fast. Her mind was whirring, her thoughts fighting with each other for the primacy, each one desiring to be the first one to emerge to the surface of her consciousness, each one coming up with its own solution.

Olivia's first reflection was: "Where did I leave my gun?" but then her shoulders slumped in regret, when she actually realized it had been inside her trench coat pocket, too far away from her, carelessly tossed over a chair in the improvised dining room where she had just come from.

_I… I couldn't know he would come back. _

_How could I? I thought he wouldn't dare, not after what… Happened between us._

_I spent the whole day trying to expel the last night events from my head… To convince myself it might have all been a bad dream or another hallucination product… _

_A side effect from entering the tank, like Walter would say._

_But apparently it wasn't. And now… Now he's here again._

_That strange, deep, raspy, gurgling, but still soft voice in which he speaks to me… _

_It sounds… Inhuman… Like anything else I've ever heard._

_And when I cast a look down at my waist, even though I can feel his palms holding me, I see nothing… _

_Just… Under certain light… It's as if there were tiny transparent ripples…Rivulets of some sorts. _

_As if he were made of shimmering, corporeal water drops._

_God, what should I do?_

She knew better than anyone, being a trained FBI agent, that she shouldn't make any rash movements or produce loud noises.

Olivia couldn't know for certain what was in that man's head and she didn't want to taunt or provoke him.

Olivia knew she had to be very, very careful but she still wanted to get the upper hand on him. It was practically impossible, from this position.

_What if I quickly reach inside the drawer and pull the knife out?_

_I could try and turn around quickly, wound him and… Incapacitate him…_

And then the unspeakable happened.

He leaned slightly forward, touching her bare shoulder with the tip of his lips in reverence, and then Olivia sensed him step away, letting her go, letting her do as she was pleased.

Olivia ran into the living room like the wind, grabbing her gun and pointing it vaguely towards the place she thought he would be standing.

No one was more surprised than her when his voice was heard from the completely different part of the room.

He was, at least according to what Olivia could deduce from the direction from which the sound was coming, now sitting in an armchair.

-_I am here._

_He… He is voluntarily making himself vulnerable. He's giving me away his location… He wants me to know where he is. He's either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Or maybe both. Which technically makes him crazy._

-I could shoot you right now where you're standing-her voice was angry.

Olivia was trying her best to show him that she wasn't afraid at all.

That she was focused, calmed and secure.

-_I know. So why don't you?_

_Why don't I?_-she briefly wondered that herself.

_Because I… I can't. Despite what he did to me last night. He was right. I can't cold-bloodedly shoot an unarmed man. Not like this. I need answers._

-How did you get in here?-Olivia wasn't in the mood to respond to his taunts and she didn't like the direction in which the conversation was going, so she immediately changed the question.

_-Which time?_-there was a hint of amusement in his voice and the fact that he actually might be mocking her, after invading her personal space in such a way, and after doing what he did made Olivia's blood boil.

_-_Answer me!

-_I apologize_-he chuckled. _–I got in here through the door._

-Through the door? But the door was locked!

-_It was. And the window on your bedroom was closed last night._

Olivia's eyes widened in sudden understanding.

-When you say… Through the door… You literally mean… Through them.

-_Yes._

-How can you… How can you do that?

-_My bodily structure allows me to._

He had an interesting way of expressing himself, unlike anyone she had ever talked to, Olivia pondered.

His answers were short, courteous and precise.

He never spoke first or out of the line.

He was calm, sitting and waiting for her to ask him the question. It was almost deliberate, come to think of it. He had come here on purpose. To talk to her. To give her answers.

_If he wants to talk… We'll talk._

She cautiously sat on the sofa opposite the intruder, eying the armchair suspiciously, sighing deeply, trying to focus on him and looking more or less into the space she believed his eyes were.

_I can't believe how quickly I adapted to this situation. _

_There is an invisible stranger in my house, the stranger who I had sex with last night, at that. _

_He is sitting in the armchair of my living room. _

_And I am sitting there right next to him, practically at arm's length, chatting about this and that. _

_God, what am I doing? _

_I might just as well offer him a cup of coffee, the way this conversation is headed._

_Unfortunately, I am too good with weird._

-Why are you here?-Olivia whispered tiredly.

-_Last night. You asked me who I was._

-I did.

-_Do you still wish to know?_

Olivia wasn't sure what she wanted.

Mostly, she just wanted to delete the last night's occurrences from her memory.

To pretend that it had never happened, that she never did what she did.

That she never enjoyed sex so much with someone she didn't even know.

Olivia blushed. She didn't expect him to be back so soon…

To impose his existence on her in such a way. To prove her daringly he was oh so very real.

She replied honestly.

-I'm not sure.

He chuckled again.

-_Are you afraid?_

_Am I? _

_Who in their right mind wouldn't be, facing with the unknown, in spite of the fact that he had shown me he meant me no harm?_

But Olivia was now more angry than afraid.

Because of the way he took her last night.

Because of the way he made her feel.

-No-she slowly shook her head.

_I am most definitely not afraid._

-_I'm glad_-his voice obtained a tender, kinder tone.

-You… When I asked you who you were, you said you were…

_-Nobody._

-Why?

-_Isn't it obvious?_

_-_Just because you are… Invisible-that word barely left Olivia's mouth-that doesn't mean you are nobody. You are a person, like… Like everyone else… Just… Different.

_Why am I consoling him? Why am I getting involved?_

_I should just tell him to get out. To leave. _

_To never come back._

_But I can't. _

_I want to hear his story. _

_Maybe… He has never told it to anyone else before and he needs to._

_There's no harm in letting him finish._

_Then I'll deal with him accordingly._

-_Thank you. You are the first person to say that to me_-he sounded sincerely grateful.

-Where… Where do you live?-Olivia's curiosity got the best of her as the questions kept popping into her head and out of her mouth.

-_I live alone in an old cellar. It's… Located in the sub-basement, where many of the pipes for the building run. Not far from here._

-Why there?

-_I didn't have much choice. Obviously, no one would rent an apartment to the invisible man. And I need privacy._

-For what?

-_I am… Doing a research. On my… Condition. The cellar is also some kind of a makeshift laboratory._

-Do you think it… It can be reversed?

-_I do._

-How long have you been… Invisible?

-_Since I was born. It's a long story. Do you wish to hear it?_

Olivia simply nodded, hypnotized and calmed down by his husky voice.

_The story Walter told me… The two possible ways to become invisible…_

_An invisibility serum which does not exist and…_

_An innate genetic disorder._

Olivia jumped up in fright when she realized he had come to sit right next to her on the sofa.

Even though she couldn't see him, she knew he was very near: he exuded an incredible amount of energy and bodily warmth.

Olivia shuddered at his closeness.

-_I apologize if I startled you. It's easier like this for me._

-Why?

-_My… Organs… My skin… Everything inside me is less substantial. I have more energy than matter. My organism functions worse than it normally would in humans. I can't… Strain my vocal cords for a long time so it's easier to whisper. To be able to do that, I have to sit next to you._

-Okay-she nodded calmly, serenely, simply accepting his explanation.

-_You get to keep your gun, of course._

-Don't mind if I do-a small smile appeared on her face.

-_I was born different. My… Cells… Were somehow apt to accommodate chromatophore implantation which was performed on me. This gave me the ability to blend in with my surroundings._

_Oh, God_-Olivia suddenly felt very sorry for this man.

_He was experimented on. Walter was right._

She sensed the urge to… Comfort him, somehow. Despite what he did to her.

_His whole life must have been miserable. _

And the impersonal, bland, quiet way in which he was telling her his story made her sad.

Olivia wanted him to know that he is as human as the rest of them.

That she truly sees him as a human being.

So she decided to fully treat him like one.

-Before you go on…-she swallowed. –My name is Olivia Dunham-she outstretched her hand.

-_I know… Olivia_-he seemed very surprised at her gesture, as far as she could tell.

He didn't accept her hand for some reason, but he gently touched her shoulder instead, in a form of salute. It was a featherlight tap, pleasant, tentative and warm.

_-I am Eugene. Eugene Bryant._

-Nice to meet you… Eugene-she blurted out, still too conscious of his touch, wondering how come he had known her name beforehand, but deciding not to interrupt him.

To ask all the questions she might have for him after Eugene had finished telling his story.

-_I was born thirty years ago with an inexplicable chromosome anomaly. Scientists named me U-Gene, since it was an abbreviation for "Unknown Genetic Disorder"._

-That's awful.

-_I got used to the name. Now it is a part of me. It is who I am._

-Where are your parents?

-_They… They think I am dead. That's what they told them at hospital many years ago._-Eugene replied after certain hesitation.

-I am so sorry-Olivia touched his shoulder affectionately in authentic regret.

–_I have lived alone for almost my entire life. I was always on my own. _

There was strong, genuine bitterness in his tone of voice when he said those words.

Olivia nodded, waiting patiently for him to continue.

He took a deep breath and went on.

-_I was born pale and my skin was hypersensitive to the light. I almost died because of my condition but the implanted cells saved my life. As soon as scientists realized I was going to be able to become completely invisible after the implantation, they guessed I was an ideal material for a spy. A soldier. They were going to use me for military purposes so they took me away from my family, after having lied to them about me passing away. I grew up in a laboratory. I was experimented on for three full decades. Of course, I wasn't going to be useful to the country all by myself. They were looking for the way to… To isolate whatever compound it was that was making me special so that they could inject it in other people. Government wanted the entire army of invisible, special super spy-soldiers._

-Which laboratory? Do you… Do you happen to know the name? I… Might be able to dig up something on them… To make inquiries for you… My boss at work would certainly allow me to open up a special case if I wanted to, seeing how I've gained his trust over time… Because…-Olivia's FBI mode turned on. –Those experiments… Conducted against your will… They were inhuman. And the way they held you locked up in there… I have seen such things before-she swallowed.

-_You have?_

-Yes… I… I work for the FBI-she stopped, uncertain how much information she should divulge, but even to Olivia, it was obvious by now that this man was no assailant.

Eugene was quite the opposite. He was a victim.

Then she remembered again he knew her name.

_Perhaps he also has information about my workplace. But how?_

–But maybe you know that already-she whispered hesitantly, wondering if he'd explain if and how he was familiar with that data in particular.

-_I do. You form part of Fringe division._

-Yes. For months, me and my team have been tracing different groups of scientists involved in diverse bioterrorist attacks…I have handled numerous cases in which people were experimented on… With attempts to turn them into biological weapons. Your case is no different. I might be able to help you. We could try and apprehend them.

_-There is no need to._

-Of course there is… Maybe you… You have managed to escape, but… Possibly there are others… Whose lives might be in danger from the very same people.

-_No._

_-_How can you be so sure?

-_It was a local experiment. There was an accident couple of months ago. The laboratory and the entire research facility exploded._

Olivia thought she actually had read something similar in the news in November.

-_All scientists and all test subjects… People who were experimented on… They all died in fire… Some were burnt, some were suffocated. I am a lone survivor because I was the only one able to pass through the door and to evade the material that crashed upon us, all as the building was engulfed by flames. No one else could run away. They were trapped under it. They couldn't make themselves insubstantial and get rid of it as I could. Ironically, my ability, the invisibility state I am in now, and that I have cursed since the day I became conscious of it… Was precisely the thing that saved my life. The military doesn't know I have survived. As far as they are concerned, experiment 6-9-5-4-5 is no more. The case has been closed. No one will be looking for me._

-So the men who founded the lab and experimented on you are no more? And no one is after you any longer? You're sure about this?

-_That is correct._

-Then…-Olivia's voice sounded slightly disappointed. –Then I guess there is no need to investigate the background any further. But… Now… -she stood up and started walking around enthusiastically. -We should… Think about the way in which your visibility can be restored. You told me that you are now living in a cellar and that you are trying to… Discover how to become visible again. Have you had any luck with that?

-_I have. But I am not going to use this way._

-Why not? Is it dangerous?

-_It is._

-How so?

-_It is dangerous both for me and for the others._

-What is it? What is required?

-_I would need to kill other people… I don't know how many of them exactly… I am still not certain of the number._

_-_Kill… Others?-Olivia gulped, positively reaching for her gun now.

-_Yes. And... Steal their pigmentation, so to speak. Collect it. My chromatophore cells would be able to absorb their pigment and transfer it to me. Since I have been experimented on for so many years, I would need a lot of pigment in order for the transplantation to succeed in its entirety. I would need to end the existence of many people. But I do not want to. I don't want to be a killer, a predator. One human life is as worth as the other. And mine is certainly not worth that much. I don't want dozen people to die just so that I can become visible again. _

-Then you are a good man-Olivia exhaled in relief as her hand abandoned the handle of her Glock. –But I don't understand, Eugene. In what way could such an operation be dangerous for you?

-_My effort to counteract the effects of the experimentation I endured may return me to the genetic state I was in when he was born. Then I would face the same fate that I did as an infant - death._

She looked at him with a mixture of sadness and regret.

-I am so sorry. So there isn't another way?

-_I thought there wasn't. Until I read the newspapers in September, six months ago._

-What did you find out? What was so important that gave you hope again?

-_That Walter Bishop was released from "St. Claire's" mental institution after 17 years of incarceration in order to collaborate with the FBI as their civilian consultant._

-But… Oh-realization dawned on Olivia's face.

-_A renowned scientist and chemist, just like his colleague and partner, William Bell. Everyone knew who Walter Bishop and William Bell were, even in the research facility I grew up in. Those scientists even applied some of Bishop and Bell's methods on the test subjects. Who better to help me with my problems, and doubts, I thought, then one of them? They did work for the government many years ago, but it didn't seem that they were cooperating with them now, at least not by experimenting on people; Dr. Bishop was helping FBI to solve crimes. I was ready to offer them a sample of my skin cells in an exchange for the cure. Of course, under the condition they didn't tell anyone about me. _

_But first I needed to decide which one I could trust more. I realized they hadn't been working together any longer._

Olivia finally understood everything.

_-I couldn't gain access to William Bell, no matter how hard I tried. I was able to enter his office in Massive Dynamics several times but he was never there. I would always hear from Nina Sharp, his secretary, that he was travelling, whenever someone would ask her about him. I snooped around their labs, no matter how scared I was, but I couldn't find their scientists conducting any experiments that might be even remotely similar to the one I participated in._

_I gave up after some time and I went in search of Dr. Bishop. I managed to locate him after almost two months. I firstly paid a visit to the FBI offices and I eavesdropped on as many different employees as I could, hoping someone would mention Dr. Bishop's name. After month and a half, I was in luck. His name was mentioned in relation to you and to Special Agent Phillip Broyles. All I had to do was find you. And I did. This is how I posteriorly found out about Fringe division and how I located Dr. Bishop in his laboratory in Kresge Building, in Harvard university basement._

-Eugene…-Olivia interrupted him at that moment, fully understanding how was it that he knew her name and her occupation in the first place–If what you say is true and if you were able to observe Dr. Bishop at work from the moment you found him up till now… This means that you… You already know too much about us… About our department. And the things Fringe division does. I have to… Ask you not to…

-_Not to tell anyone?-_hearty, throaty, booming laughter was heard from the direction he was sitting at, and Olivia went red in face.

_God, I am so dim-witted. Who is he going to tell? He has no friends. No family. He probably isn't talking to anyone and that's why his voice sounds so strange. He's barely using his vocal cords as it is._

-I'm sorry, I… That was stupid of me.

-_Don't worry. I understand. You're just being precautious and protective of your colleagues. I am sure that every agent would do the same in your place._

Olivia gave Eugene a small ashamed nod as a sign of recognition of his attempt to accept her apology.

-Why have you never spoken up?-she inquired, desiring to change the subject of conversation.

_-I was… Skulking around Dr. Bishop for a long time. I never said anything to neither of you up till now because I noticed that he… Wasn't exactly the man I anticipated him to be. His mental faculties obviously weren't at that same level as I expected they would be and I started doubting if he was really going to be able to help me to begin with. Later, when I saw the magnificent results he achieved in the lab… The numerous cases he solved with the help of the other Fringe division members… I regained my trust in Dr. Bishop's ability. Now, I am hiding for a completely different reason. I am hiding because I know I would be valuable to the military and I don't want to be used for military purposes. My life was pretty much the life of a lab rat. I am still afraid Dr. Bishop might hand me over to the military the moment he found out about me, so that they could simply put me in another research facility. And I refuse the option to return to any lab. I won't be experimented on again. I think I couldn't stand it._

-Oh, no. Walter wouldn't do that. I think that… If anyone can repair you…So to speak…It's Walter. He is an incredible person. I had my doubts in him too, back when I first met him, but they were quickly dissipated. He has that perfect combination of highly intelligent and playful, childlike brain. Walter possesses both enormous scientific knowledge and a great deal of compassion. He would be more than happy to help you, I'm sure of it.

She could hear Eugene clear his throat uncomfortably. He said nothing.

-I thought you were watching us for a long time? Didn't you come to the same conclusion? I hold Dr. Bishop in my highest regard. I am positive he would do anything to assist you. And he most certainly wouldn't be interested in you merely as in an intriguing experiment. He would also see you like a human being who needs help. Just like I see you-Olivia patted him soothingly on the arm.

She sensed Eugene's palm spontaneously land on her thigh as he uttered a quiet "thank you" and she trembled with…

_Anticipation?_-Olivia wondered. _How is it that his touch able to affect me so much?_

-Eugene… If it's not the right time for you and you still don't believe Walter… I understand. I won't push you.

-_Promise you won't tell the others about me yet?_

-I promise, Eugene. I respect your decision.

-_I knew you would. That's why I came to talk to you first. I have been watching you a lot in the lab_-Olivia sensed the tips of Eugene's fingers were roaming her cheek and gently brushing her hair off of her face.

She shifted uncomfortably, suddenly realizing where this was going.

-Eugene… Listen…

-_You are gorgeous, Olivia. I like you very much. You are exceptionally beautiful and incredibly kind._

-Thank you-Olivia blushed, slightly unnerved at her reaction to Eugene's touch, standing up and moving away from him, seemingly inconspicuously.

Yet, Eugene swiftly reached her after mere moments and he steadied Olivia with his affectionate palms, placing them on her waist yet again, much as he had done when Olivia entered the kitchen that night half an hour ago.

He tenderly, needily pulled her closer.

Olivia temporarily took comfort in his reassuring embrace seconds before she realized she had to reject him in the best way she could and she ended the spell, moving away.

**-**We can't do this… Eugene… I… I don't want to be harsh on you… I understand… That you have certain needs… And… After the entire story of your life has unveiled right before my eyes… I comprehend you, I don't judge you. I know you probably haven't had that much experience with relationships-Olivia's voice was kind but decisive. –However….It's not how this normally works. What you did last night… What we did… It can't happen again. It shouldn't.

-_I want you, Olivia. I want you so much. All my life... I've been simply observing other people live theirs. Watching them... fall in love. I have always longed… To be looked upon by the right person... to connect... and to see in their eyes… Happiness. And... Recognition. I think that's the only time when you truly exist. I've led this daunting search for humanity for decades… I have always yearned…To feel another human being… In a way I felt you last night. Olivia… And it was breathtaking. I am not asking you to develop those identical emotions for me immediately… I just need… Please, understand me… I am starved for human touch, for compassion… For kindness. And you are on your own and sad as well. Like me. I know you cry before you fall asleep. I know you are lonely. We could be good to each other._

-Eugene-her eyes widened. –Have you been here before… Last night? Watching me?

-_Yes_-he admitted directly, openly.

-You shouldn't have. My room… Is the only place where I feel comfortable, where I feel safe. When you did that, you… Invaded my privacy. Please don't ever do that again.

_-I didn't wish to harm you. I just needed to see you, Olivia… To touch you. And when I did… It felt wonderful. For both of us. I know you liked it too. We are simply two lone souls floating in the fishbowl of life. I just want to please you, to make you feel good. _

Eugene now moved again, so that he was standing right in front of her and Olivia could no longer ignore him, his shimmering presence too strong for her to disregard it.

Olivia was about to try to dissuade him for a second time when she felt hot and soft mouth pressing against her neckline and stealing her breath away.

Olivia half stumbled into him in an attempt to shy away once more, and clung to his shirt.

When his tongue began to trail a hot and moist path along her jaw line and then down her throat, a soft whimper escaped Olivia's lips and she felt Eugene's hands squeeze her hips to an almost bruising level. Olivia's hips jerked into his as tiny stars danced at the edge of her vision. Never before had she been so far gone in lust for a man after just a simple embrace followed by a kiss on the neck.

-Eugene…-Olivia murmured huskily as she melted into his body. She gasped when he gently sucked at her pulse point before pulling away and presumably staring into her half lidded eyes.

Olivia's hands instinctively went to his back pockets where she slipped them past the fabric and pulled his body flush with hers, gripping his ass. She could hear him groan into her ear as his growing erection hardened between their bodies. When they pulled away, both very surprised with their immediate bodily reactions, gasping for air, Olivia didn't know what expression on his face was, but she knew she was grinning stupidly

That level of physical infatuation with the person she had merely "seen" twice in her life frightened her very much.

-Eugene…. We can't. You should go now-she whispered barely audibly, not daring to look up in case her own eyes betrayed her.

-_You don't mean it. I know you don't. I can feel it._

-I am not ready for… Anything like this.

_-Because I am strange?_

_-_No, it has nothing to do with that. It's just… We don't know each other at all and I… I've ended a long, painful relationship relatively recently. I don't want… I can't just stumble into another one right now. I need to spend some time alone.

-_You have been alone for long enough. No one should be alone. It's hard to live alone. No man is an island. And I attract you just as much you attract me, I know it._

-You do. I… I don't know how, and why, but you do.-she admitted openly, blushing. There was no point in hiding the obvious.–But it's… It's the involuntary reaction of my body to your touch… It's not sensible.

-_There's nothing wrong with hungering for someone's touch. With being starved for sexual contact. Watching you over time, I have noticed you obviously aren't comfortable in the presence of another man… You normally don't do casual sex and you don't actively look for a new sexual partner. I am not asking for anything. We won't get emotionally attached. I don't want to take… I simply wish to give. To please your body. Let me stay tonight… Let me show you how good it could be… And then you can send me away, if you decide so._

Olivia's mind lingered back on the insane thoughts she had last night in the diner, while she was waiting for her and Peter's order.

"_It would be so much easier to carelessly sleep with someone I didn't know at all. To sate my cravings with anyone, really. A person without a name. Without a face"._

Before Olivia had time to respond, his hands reached up and the tips of his fingers gently cupped her breasts, sneaking under the plain white shirt she was wearing and under her simple black bra. He nuzzled his face in her hair and Olivia could hear his breathing deepen as his fingers gently pinched her nipples.

-_You smell so good, Olivia_-he whimpered, inhaling her scent, and she let out a deep sigh.

As his insistent fingers continued to stimulate Olivia's now hardening nipples, she unconsciously rocked against his crotch, having felt a delicious, tingling frisson of arousal travel from her breasts to her dampening, needy place.

Her head arched back and Olivia felt her knees become wobbly.

Eugene felt it too, apparently, since he straightened her up, firmly holding her in his embrace, and leaned Olivia against the nearest wall for support. He tenderly suckled on her neckline, as his trembling fingers slowly undid the buttons on her shirt and then unclasped her bra.

Eugene's hands went daringly lower, undoing the button on her pants, and letting them slide down to the floor as he was stroking her thighs.

_-Your legs… Are so amazing._

The tidal wave of warmth washed all over Olivia's now almost completely nude body and she blushed at the compliment.

She grabbed on his shoulders for support, instinctively unloosening the buttons on his shirt, but when she started taking the garment off of him, Eugene slowly removed her hands, not allowing her to do so.

-Why?-she barely recognized her husky voice, tinged with a hint of frustration, because he hindered her intention.

-_I don't remove my clothes too often. It's the friction… I… I have an extremely sensitive skin because of all the experiments that were conducted on me. It would hurt me. So it has to stay on._

He chuckled, amused, hearing her sigh disappointedly, but nevertheless, Olivia's palms disobeyed his order mischievously, sneaking lower from Eugene's shoulders and caressing his wide, slightly hairy chest and his soft abdomen since his shirt was already unbuttoned.

She marveled at the proportionate shape of Eugene's body. He was as tall as she was, as far as she could judge, maybe slightly taller, but his chest was broad, taut and lean.

His arms were muscular and protective; Olivia knew that since she remembered how he encased her in his embrace last night.

_He is nothing like John_-Olivia compared.

_John was… Well… Like a good-natured giant. Strong, demanding… Almost too strong… Much taller, his chest was wider and shaved, he sported six pack abs…_

_Eugene is so soft… Cushiony… Pliable… Strong but just enough so… Giving… Not taking away. _

Olivia let out a loud moan as Eugene's mouth now focused on her left aching peak, circles surrounding it, while he took the right one between his finger and thumb and rolled it gently, feeling it continue to harden.

_Oh, God, what am I doing?_

_This is so wrong._

_This is nothing like me._-Olivia thought, but those words were merely passers-by, easily distraught with the music of his tender suckling and his gentle caress.

_But it feels so good._

_I can't… I can't stop him. I'm not able to._

_I have no control over my body whatsoever._

That frightened Olivia so much that she began to tremble in Eugene's arms, knowing that she couldn't run away, because she wouldn't.

She simply didn't want to.

Her body yearned to have sex with this man.

Eugene apparently sensed her distress, because he stopped rasping her tight buds hungrily and took her in his arms.

_-It's okay. It's normal to… Feel like this. To give yourself away. Not to be in control of everything all the time._-he whispered, comforting her. –_I want you to enjoy, to relax… I'll take care of you._

As Eugene carried Olivia in his arms through the corridor, on the way to her bedroom, he paused as he was passing next to a huge mirror and guffawed.

Olivia looked up to see what he was laughing about so much and she gasped.

It looked like as if she were suspended in mid-air, hovering one meter above the ground, naked. The person holding her was nowhere to be found.

Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was running wild all over her back and her rosy nipples protruded proudly.

-_This has got to be the strangest thing you've ever seen._

-Not really-she muttered bravely. –You would be surprised.

_-You're beautiful. Like a nude little fairy. Or like… Tinkerbelle from that cartoon for children._

-Peter Pan?

He didn't reply for several seconds as if thinking heavily.

-_Yes._

Olivia's mind wandered to her partner and colleague at the mention of the cartoon character name.

Peter Bishop had always reminded her of one of the orphans, one of the Neverland's Lost Boys and here was Eugene, calling her Tinkerbelle.

The fairy that looked after them.

She felt a pang of remorse.

Peter wasn't feeling well after what had happened with Walter and it was obvious to Olivia. He was most certainly alone now, in his hotel room, thinking about his father, being miserable, not being able to help him, to pull him out of that horrible place before Monday. She hadn't even called him to check up on him, to ask him how he was doing.

She was about to have sex with a complete stranger instead.

_-Are you okay?_

-Yes, I… I just… Remembered someone. That's all. I'm… I'm fine.

She heard Eugene sigh a little and then he kissed her bare shoulder again reverently, before he continued the journey towards her bedroom.

He caringly placed her on the bed and then covered her with his own body when he sensed her tremble.

_-Are you cold?_

-A bit-she admitted.

Eugene pulled the blanket over them. It seemed that they were now completely isolated from the rest of the world, just the two bodies in a complete darkness, pressed one into another, warming each other in a close, strong embrace.

_-It feels so good… To finally be able to freely hold you like this._

-Finally?-she smiled.

-_I wanted to do it after watching you for many many months now. You have become somewhat obsession of mine, Olivia. But I couldn't. I knew it would be crazy._

-Why did you do it last night?-Olivia inquired tenderly.

-_I don't know. Something inside me just snapped and I went for it. I know it was insane. I know it was reckless. I'm sorry if I scared you. Or… If I was rough to you._

-You did scare me. Anyone would be scared in my place. But you…-her cheeks were flushed. –You weren't rough at all.

_-Did you like it?_

-I did-she admitted timidly. –I was also angry.

-_I noticed-_he sniggered. _–You almost killed me out there._

-You passed through the window?

-_Yes._

A nervous laugh escaped her mouth and Olivia shivered once again, realizing the folly of the situation she was in.

-This is crazy.

She felt Eugene fondling her hair and her neck in order to calm her down and the circles he was tracing with his fingers had an immediate soothing effect.

It frightened Olivia that this man was able to exactly tell her body how to feel.

And her body would instantly obey.

She had never experienced such chemistry, such physical compatibility with anyone before.

Not knowing what to do and where to touch him, simply enjoying the male presence in her bed after so much time, she blindly reached for, found and caressed his chest again.

_-Do you like my chest?_-Olivia thought there was a trace of smugness in his inquisitive voice.

-It's nice. Your body is, too.

-_Not so much, no. My body is… Disfigured from the experiments. My skin is sensitive and my face is somewhat distorted. But you. You are truly beautiful._

-I try not to think about myself in that way. I never have-she said clumsily.

-_Why not_?

-Mostly because I think that what's on inside is that matters most.

He didn't reply for a long time and she wondered if there was something about that sentence that made him angry, sad, or pensive.

Then Eugene's hands surprised her out of nowhere as they went to her breasts, and he started kneading her spongy orbs.

Olivia could say that he was enjoying the pebbled skin of her puffy aureolas against his palms because of the little satisfactory grunts he was letting out.

He cupped and massaged the creamy globes, tugging at her nipples until Olivia started whimpering uncontrollably and then he laid his head on them.

His cheek was clean-shaven and smooth on her breasts and Olivia's mind called the image of Peter's stubble out of nowhere, imagining how different it would feel.

She blushed.

_Why? It's not like… Like I am cheating on him. Nothing has ever happened between us. Why am I recalling Peter now?_

She pushed away thoughts about Peter and gave herself completely to Eugene's skilled touch.

Then Eugene tugged her body forward to bring his lips to her one rosy nipple. Licking the tender bud, he quickly sucked it into his mouth, making Olivia writhe as this new sensation jolted through her.

The small mewling noises Olivia made as he lavished attention on her sensitive nub seemed to be driving Eugene wild, intensifying his efforts as Olivia's nails dug into his shoulders.

Eugene eventually pulled away, and Olivia stared at her nipples, now beautifully budded with arousal, one still moist and shiny with the evidence of his lips.

Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed lower and lower, down her body to her stomach, tracing her skin gently with his tongue as if he were unwrapping a delicate present.

When Eugene landed a wet kiss on her belly, Olivia's breath caught in her throat and she struggled hard to keep from laughing; she knew she was easily the single most ticklish person on the planet. He stopped his ministrations, surprised.

_-You're ticklish?_

-Yes.

_-Good to know._

The attention he paid to every single inch of her body made Olivia feel so dainty, so feminine.

Olivia's eyes practically glowed as Eugene stroked his finger up the center of her sodden panties, pressing ever so gently against her clit and she writhed with reaction.

Widening her thighs, she pushed her hips upwards, wanting more contact. He drank in her cries as his fingers slipped past the thin barrier of fabric and began to stroke her molten folds, quickly becoming coated in the sweet cream of her body.

Teasing Olivia's feminine core, Eugene's fingers probed her slick folds, circling around her swollen clit, careful not to come into actual contact with the bundle of nerves.

It was too much for her, and Olivia thrashed around on the bed, pushing against his hand as swirling tension in her core seemed to coalesce into a tight ball of fiery need.

-Eugene… Please… I need you to…-she knew she sounded incoherent as the disconnected syllables ran out of her mouth, but Olivia simply couldn't form sentences properly anymore.

_-Fuck… If you could just see yourself right now. You're so tight… And so sexy, Olivia_-he whispered almost choking on his words, groaning around the mouthful of breast, and she was secretly glad she was able to make him feel that way.

Then his thumb pressed against her clit, appeasing her, rubbing the engorged bud, as he pushed his forefinger inside of her again.

The suction of her nipple deep into his mouth barely registered as Olivia fell over the edge of rapture, her loud cries echoing in her own ears.

She undulated against Eugene, spinning cartwheels of heat rioting through her body.

The orgasm was so much more intense than any she'd ever given herself, the sensation of Eugene's fingers deep inside her tight hole the most incredible experience so far.

Olivia rode his hand through the waves of her climax, whimpering as he wrung a few more aftershocks from her pleasure soaked folds.

Eugene was obviously enjoying his mastery over her responses and the fact that he'd brought her to such an intense release so quickly.

Olivia licked her lips, biting on the lower one with one last tiny moan as she orgasmed again and again, and she heard him groan lustily in reaction to that sight.

Olivia supposed he must have looked up at the precise moment in which she came apart around him.

Milliseconds later, Olivia felt Eugene tower over her, she felt his steaming hot breath hovering just above her lips, and she parted them slightly, her tongue darting outside wantonly.

Just when she thought he was going to kiss her, Eugene let out a deep sigh and slowly pulled back with an impossible amount of self control, breathing heavily, but now paying attention to her neck.

-Eugene… Kiss me-she begged, panting disappointedly, pulling his shoulders upwards, wanting him to come back to her lips.

_-No_-a mere monosyllabic negative whisper came out of his mouth, without any further explanation.

_-_Why?-Olivia muttered unhappily. She couldn't comprehend it. -I want you to. Don't you?

-_I do. Damn it, I do_-he growled and there was an incredible amount of painful, hidden longing in Eugene's voice.

-But why don't you, then? Is it because of what you told me about your face?

-_Yes._

-I don't care, Eugene… I don't mind.

-_I don't want you to touch my face. Please. Promise me you won't. Ever._

-Ever?-her voice was sad.

-_I'm sorry. I need you to… Promise me. To give me your word._

-I promise-Olivia said, eventually, in a defeated tone of voice, but she wondered what kind of expression he had seen on her face when he felt the need to caress her hair comfortingly, as if apologizing for the inconvenience.

Still feeling dazed from the rocking ecstasy she'd just experienced, Olivia barely noticed as Eugene pulled away and now began to tug her thong from her body.

Meekly, she allowed him to slide it down her legs and then spread her creamy thighs back open to drink in the sight of her puffy pink folds, slick with her orgasm.

She made quite a sight with her blond hair, softening pink nipples that were still wet with his saliva, and the glistening dark pink core.

Then Olivia felt his tongue, sliding between her folds and she cried out with surprise.

-_Mmmm, you're so sweet_-Eugene said, his voice husky, and then his tongue slid against her flesh again, pressing his mouth against her center, lapping at the cream from her orgasm.

He licked all around the outside of her pussy, occasionally with a quick swipe of his tongue on the more sensitive inner flesh that made her cry out and writhe, cleaning her thoroughly of the evidence of her release.

Although Olivia had been more interested in having sex with him than anything else, she couldn't deny that she was truly loving the slow build to the main event that was happening so naturally between them.

Olivia writhed on Eugene's tongue, the thick muscle coaxing sensations from her that flamed her torrid need back to life.

When it probed inside of her, Olivia shivered with the sensation, although it didn't go as deeply and it wasn't as thick as his fingers, the flexible muscle with its unique texture inflamed her nerves in an entirely new way.

Licking his way all around her core, Eugene explored every crevice of her sensitive folds, and then he pushed his fingers deep into her body again, filling Olivia with his two digits and continuing to stretch out her tight tunnel.

This time, though, his thumb pressed against the crinkled bud of her anus, just rubbing against its entrance, awakening an entirely new set of nerves. Olivia gasped at the rude touch, and she might have protested, but then he sucked her clit between his lips and she found herself crying out, screaming, as she shattered apart for him.

It was like Eugene was touching every possible nerve ending that would bring her pleasure, his fingers stroking deep inside of her, his thumb rubbing against the outside of her crinkled rosebud, and the suction of his lips against her clit as his tongue flicked at the tip of it within his mouth.

Olivia was writhing for him, her thighs and legs tightening around his head and shoulders, hands frantically pulling at him as she spilled more honey across his hand.

White hot bursts of ecstasy rolled over and through Olivia as Eugene drank her in, releasing her throbbing clit to lap at the orgasmic juices that had spilled from her core.

Olivia's muscles felt watery, loose, and her skin was almost too tight over her body, every nerve ending feeling ridiculously sensitive after the two intense orgasms that he'd brought her to. If the night ended right here, she'd still be a happy woman, Olivia thought to herself as her eyelashes fluttered.

She couldn't help but briefly wonder how Eugene was able to pleasure her so expertly, so wondrously…. As if he had done it with other women million times before that.

_But he couldn't have, could he?_

Olivia barely had time to catch her breath as she heard the sound of jeans being impatiently, rapidly unzipped and she blushed with lust and anticipation in the darkness of her room.

The thick meat of Eugene's cock was now snuggled next to her, hard and heavy against Olivia's thigh.

Despite her sensual lethargy, Olivia felt a stirring of interest as the heavy organ nudged against her pussy lips, because her body still craved the ultimate prize.

-_God, I want you_-she heard him say.

This was it. Olivia reached up for him, finding his shoulders with her hands as Eugene positioned himself at the entrance to her body.

-_My… Bodily fluids are also less substantial just as my organs in the invisible state. So I… I don't need to use a condom_-he explained before entering her.

-Does that mean…-Olivia sounded sad…-Does that mean you'll never be able to be a father?

-_Yes._-he replied instantaneously and Olivia let out a deep sigh, feeling sorry for him.

He interrupted her train of thoughts by stretching her open, slowly, cautiously, and Olivia whimpered:

-Oh... my... God, Eugene, you're so big-she said, her breathy moans punctuating the accolade.

It was clear that Olivia wasn't just saying it because she thought it was sexy, she was just giving Eugene the unvarnished truth as she felt it, and Olivia could sense that it just made him even hotter.

It was a wondrous experience.

The incredible fullness of having him inside of her, the shocking thrust when he'd shoved the last of his length into her body.

Olivia tightened around him and moved her hips, and Eugene began to move against her in response, muttering over and over again about how hot she was, how tight, how sweet, in between plundering kisses that took her breath away as his tongue mated with her pink sensitive nubs, the same way his lower body was claiming her as his own.

Olivia hungrily met him thrust for thrust, surging upwards and glorying in every inch that pushed its way inside of her, tightening around him spasmodically just to feel him surge against her.

Olivia's tight sheathe hugged the hard steel, gripping and sucking at it.

The orgasm that was she could feel building deep inside of her was like nothing she'd ever felt before, a spinning vortex of need and fantasy, months of pent-up desire and emotion, all coming to culmination as a physical response to their intimate carnality.

Then Eugene's pounding strokes deepened, lengthened, and their erotic moans blended together, Olivia's nails raking down his back as he added in a bump and grind motion that made her whole body purr.

Olivia bucked beneath him, rubbing her crotch against his groin, feeling the rough friction of his pubic hair against her exposed clit.

The overly sensitive nub throbbed with coiled heat and Olivia felt herself reeling with the intense sensation.

Her skin melted and sizzled against Eugene's relentless assault, the force of his erotic rhythm devastating her synapses as she tightened around him.

The friction of his plundering cock against her grasping walls made both of them cry out with exquisite pleasure.

His arms held her unbelievably close to his body, and Olivia soon heard him mutter into her ear incoherently:

_-Olivia… I need you… I need you so fucking much tonight… You have no idea how long I've waited for this. Please… Please hold me. Please help me… Make me feel alive. Help me forget…Make me feel wanted… Make me feel like I belong somewhere_-he spoke hastily, hungrily…

_Sadly?_-she wondered.

It seemed to Olivia that Eugene was clutching her in his arms too needily, too obsessively, as if he were never going to let her go because he couldn't go on without her.

_-Oh, God, Olivia, I'm gonna cum!-_he groaned right then and his hips rocked and swiveled, grinding against her, his cock bobbing deep inside of her.

Then Olivia sensed his hard rod somehow became even more unyielding, swelling against her clenching walls and she screamed out as they both shot over the cliff, their bodies setting off a chain reaction of explosive heat beginning at their conjoined cores and igniting outwards.

All Olivia could do was hang on for dear life as the fiery combustion of erotic sensation threatened to consume her, her body convulsing against Eugene's.

The billowing rapture spread through every cell of Olivia's body, all the way down to her curling toes and squeezing fingertips.

She could actually feel every pulse of him inside of her, the heat of his cum as it filled her interior.

The sensation shook Olivia off her axis and it was like the entire world tilted as the most shocking wave of pleasure wracked her already sated body.

She screamed again as another climax claimed her, loud yells of Eugene's erotic triumph filling her ears and they rocked against each other in mutual pleasure.

Olivia gasped against his shoulder as Eugene shuddered and finally sagged, his arms tight around her neck and shoulders.

His heavy weight rested on top of her, warmly comforting and slightly sweaty. Despite the fact that having him resting on top of her like that made it a little harder for her to breathe and squashed her breasts against the muscles of his chest, Olivia found that she didn't mind at all.

_-God, that was amazing-_he said in a hoarse voice, and Olivia realized she was loving the tenderness with which Eugene was holding her in the aftermath of their love-making. Stroking the soft hairs on the back of his neck, she sighed happily.

There was the most wonderful ache between her legs, her body was sated and happy in Eugene's arms, and everything was right with the world.

The heavy scent of sex hung around them.

Olivia wordlessly obeyed the guidance of Eugene's tender palm, who rolled over her in the mean time, and was now demandingly placing her head on his chest.

Olivia hid her head on it, tucking it safely right under his chin, inhaling his purely male odor, mixture of the smell of his skin and the salty sweat droplets she could sense were being formed on his chest, even though she couldn't see them.

Olivia felt utterly pleasured and incredibly exhausted.

She couldn't recall she had ever experienced such sexual compatibility and attunement with any man she had met in her life.

She was also ashamed and afraid.

She didn't know this new Olivia, who was so eager and ready to succumb to the demands of her body.

Old Olivia was normally able to shake them off and occupy her thoughts with something else… Normally with her job and the numerous reports she usually had to write for Broyles.

If that wouldn't work, Olivia would eventually pleasure herself with her sex toys but she was always careful not to do it too often, in order not to develop a masturbation addiction.

But this… This newly discovered impotence of hers to stop the cravings of her own body… The enormous desire to be taken, to be pleasured by precisely this man…

The incredible sync in which their bodies were during their lovemaking.

It scared her.

-Oh God… This…-Olivia shook her head in fright realizing she couldn't even speak properly and that her breath was coming out in hastened puffs. –God, I needed this so much.

It was easier for Olivia to admit such an intimate thing when it seemed that she was in her bed all by herself, that there was no one else next to her in the darkness.

-_It was beautiful for me. Did you like it?_-Olivia noticed that his "normally" calm tone of voice was also somewhat trembling.

-I… I did… But… That's not the point… Eugene… I… I have never done anything like this before… It's… not like me at all… I… We… What was this? How did you do this to me? I am not sure if…This should happen again. If you should come back.

She felt him squirm, as if in regret.

When Eugene spoke again, his voice was a mixture of an effort to sound guarded, but incredibly sad and it bore a slight attempt of coercion.

-_There was nothing wrong with feeling like that. It felt very good. Like you said yourself._

-I know, but… We don't even know each other… We… I have just met you yesterday for the first time and under very unusual circumstances, you have to admit… And… This… The way I reacted to you…

_-I would never harm you._

-I… I know-she swallowed hard, wondering how the hell she knew that and why did she just admit that to him.

He patted her arm gently and let out a deep sigh.

Suddenly, there was a quick movement above her as he jumped up in bed, leaving her head to lie on a damp pillow instead on his warm, secure chest.

-What's wrong? Eugene?

-_It's um… Eleven and ten p.m. Fuck. I've gotta go right now. I'm sorry. I…_

-You have to go? Immediately?-she sounded incredulous.

-_Yes. I apologize._

-Okay-Olivia was slightly taken aback.

However, she didn't ask him for any explanations because she knew that wasn't how casual sex worked and she didn't want to look foolish in his eyes.

Olivia tried her best to sound nonchalantly but she had obviously failed; Olivia realized that after she heard his throaty chuckle and the words that followed it.

_-Who would have thought, a mere one hour ago, that you would actually be sad I'm leaving?_

-Yes, who would have thought-she bumped him sulkily on the shoulder, trying her best to smile.

Eugene leaned forward and touched her forehead respectfully with the tip of his lips as he inquired:

-_I am sorry for going away so abruptly like this. Can I come back again? Please._

For several seconds, nothing could be heard in Olivia's room but the hastened sound of their breathing and the thumping of their hearts.

Then a single, approving, whispered word from Olivia's mouth reverberated all around them as loud as the roar of thunder in Peter's relieved ears.

-Yes.


	14. Better Man

**PETER**'s eyelids fluttered restlessly as his body twitched on the narrow, uncomfortable sofa.

He was dreaming.

_He was swimming in the lake again. _

_Reveling in the same scenery as he did back in the sensory deprivation tank couple of days ago. _

_But something was different this time._

_Instead of only one boat, like before, now there were two of them._

_One above the surface and one under water._

_Above the surface, it was pitch dark._

_He could see Walter and Elizabeth sitting in the boat, but they both looked disconnected, each one equally desperate and grieving on their own._

_Walter was wearing a pristine white straightjacket and he was apparently talking to himself. He wasn't looking in Elizabeth's direction at all. _

_She suddenly fell down. She was now lying motionless on the wooden floor boards, an expression of eternal sadness carved forever in her lifeless eyes._

_-Mum! Mum!-Peter screamed, grabbing hold of the edge of the vessel, feeling an enormous desire to help her._

_But he simply couldn't climb aboard._

_He stared at his hands, confused, and discovered that he had slippery fins instead of fingers._

_-Walter! Walter! Walter, please, help her! Look at her! She… She's dying, Walter! Please! Do something! Because I… I can't. I can't come to you._

_But Walter paid no attention to his son's pleadings, muttering some incomprehensible, complicated equations under his breath instead. _

_Bright glow then caught Peter's attention._

_It was coming from under water._

_From another boat._

_Down there, it was broad daylight._

_There was Walter too, in a dark, elegant, expensive suit, with a wide smile on his face, wrapping his arm casually around Elizabeth's shoulder. She looked radiant and happy, and she wore a beautiful white dress and pearl earrings._

_-Peter-underwater Walter called him. _

_-Dad?-Peter was puzzled. _

_-You've spent too much time on the surface. Come, we'll be late for dinner._

_Peter stared at the couple under water, noticing they both had fins instead of hands as well._

_-But she…-his sad gaze lingered on the motionless woman in the boat as his heart throbbed in an excruciating pain he had never experienced in his entire life._

_-You can't help her anymore. Come, boy._

_Peter started diving obediently in the direction of the blinding light and towards the joyful, elegant couple as Walter above the surface suddenly stirred._

_-Son._

_-Walter?-Peter looked back over his shoulder, surprised, pausing for a second._

_-He is my son-underwater Walter snarled possessively, baring his piranha teeth._

_-No, that's not true-Walter in the boat sobbed._

_-Oh, but it is. Who do you have, you poor old fool?_

_-__My son… Peter. My son will come for me. Just you wait and see. He promised. He… he told me… "Walter… It's just ten minutes and then you're out. You need to be brave…"_

_-Your son? Your son? You have no son, remember? Remember what you did, Walter?-underwater Walter leered for one last time before he reached out and grabbed Peter's ankle with his needlelike teeth, pulling him decisively under the surface of the lake, down and away from insane Walter and lifeless Elizabeth._

_-No… No… I… I don't want to go with you!-Peter screamed but his resistance seemed futile. He started kicking underwater Walter in the strong, shark-like jaw, pleading, wriggling away from his grasp as his toes began to bleed copiously and the entire lake became ruby red, the color of Peter's blood, losing its crystal clear blueness…_

-I said I didn't want to go with you!-Peter roared, jumping upright on the sofa, breathing heavily, his forehead glistening with sweat, his hand instinctively reaching blindly for the warm hairy body next to him, but finding only empty space.

_And here we go again. _

_Another fucking nightmare. _

_Just like when I was a kid. Only this time there's no Rufus to keep me company. He's lying buried in a pet cemetery, in the gardens of my childhood memory. _

_Many light years away._

He cast a fleeting look on the alarm clock. It was 6.00 a.m.

Peter was pretty much certain he wasn't going to be able to fall sleep again.

_Well, I was planning on getting up at half past six anyway. _

_But I sure as hell wasn't expecting this rude subconscious wake-up call. _

_I soo shouldn't have gone to the asylum last night. _

_When I witnessed the Smeagol vs. Golum aka Good Walter vs. Evil Walter chit chat… _

_It messed me up. _

_It messed me up real good._

Peter sat on the sofa, clutching his head in his hands and shaking it a bit, hoping that the movement might dissipate the remnants of the bad dream.

Strangely enough, his head didn't actually hurt as it normally did after the serum injection. Peter smiled knowing that his theory about energy spending had apparently proven true.

However, despite the fact Peter didn't suffer from the intolerable headaches and that he didn't feel violent, at least not more than usual, Peter felt incredibly tired and somehow thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.

_I've injected the serum five or six times so far. _

_But… Last night was the first time I did it twice in a row. Maybe that's why my body had difficulty to adapt, to transform the energy to matter after me being invisible for entire two hours. _

_I feel spent and… _

He yawned.

_God, I'm exhausted._

_But… Hold it…_

_It might just be the good old sweet post-coital exhaustion and nothing else. _

_Haven't felt that one for a while. It was about time._

A lazy, wide, happy smile adorned Peter's face after he recalled his last night's activities.

_I must be crazy._

_The way I strolled into Olivia's place._

_Like a boss._

_She could have shot me or stabbed me with a kitchen knife._

_She almost did, too._

_Reckless, Bishop. Real reckless of you._

_But Olivia chose to listen instead, like I supposed she would._

_She felt sorry for me. I played on the pity card and Olivia fell for it._

_She started consoling me at one point. She saw me as a victim. _

_Olivia even wanted to ask around, to use her influence as an FBI employee to see what can be done to help me. _

_Leave it to Olivia to warm up to a monstrous invisible stranger who invades her house._

_That's how good a trickster I am, ladies and gentlemen._

Peter inwardly congratulated himself on a job well done.

_The quantity of bull I invented. _

_The detailed, the meticulous way in which I've shaped up the background story._

_I have practically created another person, an entire life, really. _

_I covered everything. _

_His unfortunate birth, his genetic disorder, his escape from the lab, the place where he lives now, what he is after. _

_I managed to explain Olivia how it was that I became interested precisely in her, linking her to the fact I had been following William Bell and Walter around ever since he left the looney bin._

_The best lie, the one that's easiest to remember with consistency, is based on the truth. _

_So when I told her I had been watching her during the last six months and that she had become somewhat an obsession of mine, I wasn't really lying._

_I also wasn't lying when I told her I'd practically lived alone my entire life._

_It's funny when I think about the things I did to be able to reach Olivia._

_I even gave U-Gene a suitable word-play name. _

_The new way of expressing himself. _

_Short, kind, comprehensive, reactive sentences instead of my long, satirical tirades and ill-mannered witty monologues._

_That was an awesome piece of acting on my part. _

_Eugene is practically my goody-two-shoes alter ego._

_I took all measures of precaution. My clothes stayed on._

_I told her not to touch my face and that I was distorted cause I knew Olivia might've recognized me if she did. _

_I evaded kissing her, and I steered clear of hand contact._

_What a clever ruse._

_I just… I can't believe I did all that and that I regularly pinched myself with the highly unstable invisibility serum which I created with one exclusive objective: to get laid._

_To attack Olivia's pink fortress and conquer it._

_To dip my fortune cookie in her hot milk._

_And I made it._

_Twice in a row._

Peter chuckled incredulously, realizing the absurdity of the situation.

-You lucky son of a bitch-he said to himself out loud.

_If someone had told me, like, six months ago, that I'd be doing all this just to get to a girl, I would have definitely called him a filthy liar._

_I mean, it was always easy to get some. _

_Pussy is pussy. One night stands for the win._

_Not that I had stayed in any place longer than a month or two._

_Long term relationships would be impossible even if I somehow suddenly went crazy and wanted to have them._

_And all girls were pretty much the same to me. _

_Until Olivia._

_I was hell-bent on getting her._

_I waited for so long._

_Longer than I would've waited for any other girl._

_And I finally got her._

_But now…_

Peter scratched his head uncomfortably, trying to think about something else, trying to deny his brain the possibility to dwell on that bothersome idea.

It didn't work.

He wasn't able to stop wondering, secretively, why he seemed to want to see Olivia Dunham again.

It was making him nervous.

_Okay. Let's take a train to a logical sequence of thoughts._

His plan worked.

He had locked crotches and swapped gravies with Olivia twice already.

He had proven his point.

Peter was happy that he was the one who was able to make her moan, to explode in ecstasy.

Not John Scott.

Not Lucas.

Him.

His male pride and vanity were satisfied.

Peter took her.

And Olivia enjoyed it.

_We fucked. _

_And oh how we fucked._

_We were both starved for sex._

_At this rate, Olivia might not have to turn on that vibrator of hers for couple of days after what we did last night._

_But now it's done. _

_Done and done._

Peter could move on now.

He plowed his boss well and good after having double-crossed her, he had her just like he wanted, just like he had planned all along and Olivia had no idea about it.

Now, as always, after the girl was conquered, it was time for new sexual exploits and adventures.

Except that it wasn't.

Why the hell did he want to see her again?

_Why did I ask for her permission to come back?_

_Why did I even care?_

Peter didn't understand himself anymore.

That most certainly wasn't how Peter Bishop would normally behave and he knew it.

He was aware of it all too well.

Peter hated the fact that he had started doing some things instinctively, rashly, rather than previously, cautiously, planning ahead.

And it just so happened that all those things were related to Olivia Dunham.

That question was popping insistently in Peter's head ever since last night, ever since the moment he passed through Olivia's door and went out in the street, towards his hotel.

Peter still had no coherent answer to it.

_I don't get it._

_I thought I was obsessed with her for the last six months because she was so cold, uppity and unreachable._

_It was like a challenge for me. A game I wanted to win in._

_Thrill of a chase. Like I always say. My favorite line._

_I thought I wanted to roll in the hay with Olivia so much simply out of spite, just to show her that I could._

_And now I did._

_I won. One way or the other. I hunted her down. And she was mine. She belonged to me._

_But why can't I leave her well enough alone after I had accomplished my goal?_

_I should be indifferent towards her by now._

_Instead…_

_I find myself just wanting… More. _

Several replies, the most common ones, readily, helpfully offered themselves to ease his puzzled mind.

_Probably because she's hotter than any girl I had ever boinked._

_So… Seeing how hot Olivia is…_

_Maybe I just want to do her some more, until I am fed up with her body, just like it had happened numerous times before her._

_Heck, I simply might be after some regular sex after several months of fasting._

_And she's ready and willing enough to do it with Eugene, judging by the way she reacted to my exquisite last night's performance._

_But how crazy am I?_

_I want to continue taking the serum even though I know it's dangerous, just to have some regular sex?_

_That's bull._

_I can have regular sex with any other girl of my liking._

_So that's not the answer._

_What is, dammit?_

_I need to understand myself._

_Ah…_-a tiny voice of conscience in his head spoke up and Peter flinched at it.

"_But it's not that simple, Peter. That's not what all this is about, is it?"_

_Shut up, Jiminy Cricket_-Peter thought.

But it was too late.

All of his slip-ups started rapidly flashing in front of his eyes.

Many of them were committed even without Peter having realized it and now they were laid before him in their entirety, mocking him and creating an utterly different picture of events.

Peter could see himself kneeling at his mother's grave, pouring his aching heart out to her, his head filled with the horrible scenes he had previously witnessed in "St. Claire's" mental institution.

He winced, having recalled the first thoughts that came into his head after he had left the cemetery.

"God, I need… To hold her close. Just to hear that tender voice… To see that all-forgiving smile… To lose myself in her… To drown in her skin, in her scent… To forget."

_I thought of Olivia first._

_Irrationally, but I did._

_I needed to see her._

_It was…_

_Like an urge I couldn't possibly hope to resist._

Peter didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.

_The time I spent with her. That time I stole. An hour I borrowed from someone else's life._

_It was the most beautiful hour of the day._

Peter smiled recalling the tender way in which she had tried to refuse him even though it was obvious her body was having none of it.

He had to admit one thing.

He was direly wrong about her personality.

At work, Olivia Dunham came across as serious, cold, tomboyish, frigid and robotic.

Determined, driven, mechanized.

_Boring._

But she wasn't like that at all.

She was simply private up to the point that you would begin to believe that the mask she was dexterously shielding herself behind was her real face.

But it wasn't.

Olivia was…

_Cute._

Peter snorted at himself for having used that word first of all.

And still, it was true.

_A bit shy and reserved._

_But so sexy._

_And then…_

Olivia had that tenderness, kindness, sweet reluctance and childish, innocent, endearing sense of humor.

_Well, that's good cause it made her a better lover_-Peter swallowed, wondering if he really meant it just like that, or there was a hint of something more behind those thoughts.

She was, apparently, also a cold-o-phobe.

Peter smiled recalling how Olivia trembled on the bed before he pulled the blanket over them both and warmed her up in an up-close, strong embrace.

Next up: Olivia was as horny as he was.

She couldn't get enough of him.

_High sex drive, just like mine._

He smirked remembering another adorable trait.

_She is ticklish, too._

It was incredible how his internal radar was attentive of all those tiny little details Peter was able to gather about Olivia and store in his memory.

Peter frowned.

He usually didn't care at all about those things when he slept with the girl.

He would always please his lover properly, of course, but he wouldn't pay too much attention to her as a person.

With Olivia, as it seemed, he did quite the opposite.

Images ran through his brain.

His desire to kiss her, longing, really, which appeared out of nowhere, and the fact that he almost did, disregarding the consequences.

The moment in which their bodies were joined.

Being sheathed inside her and accepted, pulled closer into her tender embrace.

It made him feel… Sheltered, somehow.

Peter finally realized what it was that was bothering him.

His need for Olivia had begun to surpass the physical frontier.

Peter now apparently started needing to… Be soothed by her presence and her voice.

She could make him feel better. Calm him down. She could make the pain go away.

"Please… Please hold me. Please help me… Make me feel alive. Help me forget…Make me feel wanted… Make me feel like I belong somewhere…"

Peter winced.

_Ouch. This is bad. This is very, very bad._

_Did I really tell her that?_

_Well…_

_I was cumming so…_

_Men say a lot of stupid things when they're about to cum. It's a scientifically proven fact. Words I've used so far with chicks while I was cumming were: "Cowabunga!","Booyaa!" "Jumanji!","Victory is mine!","Shazam!","Kaboom!", "Here I cum, baby", "Oops"…_

_And of course, my two favorites: "That's a wrap." and "This is Sparta!" Nothing can top those._

_Maybe with Olivia I just got a tad emotional. No wonder, I'd been through a lot last night._

_But still._

_That was private._

_The way I felt at that moment… Was private._

_And I just blurted it all out into her ear._

_I forgot what time it was the second she laid that golden head on my chest. _

_It almost seemed as if she filled the hollow emptiness that nested there since the dawn of time. _

_I felt complete._

_I even barely remembered I had to go because at 23.15 p.m. my luxurious carriage would transform into a huge pumpkin and Prince Charming would become a liar and a criminal. _

_What was wrong with me?_

_I lost the notion of time._

_I got caught in the moment and I couldn't get out of it._

_And on top of everything, I stupidly, irrationally pleaded her to come back._

_Olivia gave me the permission to return._

_Now, come to think of it…_

_Maybe I shouldn't._

_Scratch that._

_Rewind._

_I definitely, most certainly, shouldn't._

_No matter how much I want to but…_

_I…_

_I can sense that I am changing when I'm around her. _

_I no longer recognize myself._

_And I have no control over my behavior. _

_None whatsoever._

_I need to steer clear of Olivia Dunham, of her presence._

_Her smell._

_Her taste._

_Because…_

_The softness of her breasts I couldn't keep my hands and mouth off._

_The sound of her carefree laughter._

_They are becoming too addictive for me._

_I don't want to get attached, dammit._

_What the fuck is this?_

_Some kind of teenage crush?_

_These are dangerous ground you're threading on, Bishop._

Peter glanced at the alarm clock yet again.

It was exactly 6.30.

_I have been thinking about her for half an hour straight._

_Shit._

_Ok, Bishop. Get up._

_Be productive._

_Enough of fucking around. Literally._

_It's time to go._

_I have to pay a visit to my dear friend Dr. Sumner._

Peter washed his face and brushed his teeth in the bathroom.

He tried combing his hair but it ended up pretty disastrous, in his opinion, so Peter simply sighed and left it run wild in all directions.

Then he put on black jeans, black jacket and white shirt.

_I don't have time for breakfast._

_It's 6.40. _

_Walter will be expecting me at 7 a.m. _

A genuine smile spread on his face as he exited his hotel room, heading for the car, ready to drive to " 's" and thinking about the pleasant surprise he was about to give to his father.

**IT **wasn't supposed to be a long drive, seeing how the institution was around 15 minutes away from their place by car, but Peter was still a bit drowsy and it had seemed a lot longer to him.

Just as he was parking the car in front of the dreadful grey building he recalled all too well, his cell phone rang.

It was Olivia.

He cleared his throat and picked it up after several seconds.

-Hey-her voice was cautious. –Sorry, I know it's Saturday morning. Did I wake you?

-Hi-he replied in a guarded voice. _God, it's so weird talking to her like this, and at the same time imagining her naked._ –Nope. I'm already awake. So what's up? You need something? Did you find the kid?-he kept it cool and casual.

-No-the amount of sadness in her voice startled him. –And it's already been more than 24 hours so… Charlie and I are here, we're back in Clarksburg with the team. We have been canvassing house-to-house for half an hour already.

-You need more people?

-No… We've got everything covered. You stay at home and rest. Listen… Peter, I was just calling to check up on you, to see how you're holding up. I completely forgot to call you last night after I came back from the search and I wanted to. After everything you've been through yesterday… I know how you feel. I'm sorry that you have to wait for two more days until Walter is out. It wasn't how I wished it to turn out. I hope your father won't relapse. I mean, he spent six months with us and he was getting better, it was so obvious. Three days in an asylum won't ruin that, I am positive.

_My darling Olivia, if you had seen what I saw… You wouldn't have been saying that. Three days? More like three hours. Walter was ruined after mere three hours. But it matters not. He'll be out in ten minutes, as far as I'm concerned._

-Thank you for calling. I'm fine. Don't worry about last night.

-No, Peter, really, I remembered you as soon as I woke up.

_What a sweet coincidence, sweetheart. I thought of you as well. It was a thirty minute long pondering-_Peter made a sarcastic remark inside his head.

_-_I really wanted to call you last night but I got caught up in a report I was writing for Broyles, about the accomplishments in Ben Stockton's case so far…It completely slipped off my mind-she spoke too fast and Peter smirked.

_What a bad liar you are, Olivia. Report?_-he almost snorted out loud.

_You were writing your report on my back with your fingernails. Carved it in, actually. And I loved every word of it. And so did you._

_This is just… Unreal. _

_Me, lying to her about how great I am feeling. _

_Olivia, lying to me about her invisible lover._

_Well I can't blame her, really. Which girl would actually admit something like that to someone?_

He grinned and then replied coolly:

-That's okay. And now you know I'm fine so I'm glad that's settled. Listen, Olivia, I've gotta go. Happy hunting.

The conversation was abruptly over, and Olivia was a bit taken aback with Peter's short sentences, apparent lack of interest and the way he seemed to distance himself from her. She wondered if Peter was really feeling alright.

But there was no time to dwell on those thoughts. She had to return to the search. Charlie was already looking at her expectantly and she rejoined the group, still confused.

**PETER **stepped into the hall of "St. Claire's" confidently, wearing his best heartthrob smile.

The hot blonde whom Peter had seen last night was still there.

She was sitting at the reception desk when he barged in and she stared at him at a loss, surprised to see someone in the institution that early.

-Top of the morning to you-he winked at her, leaning on the desk lazily.

-Hi-she blurted out. –I… I'm sorry… The visiting hours aren't until much later, from 10 h to 13 h.

-How do you know I'm here to visit someone?-Peter joked. –Maybe I'm a runaway patient. Been out there… Seen what's going on with people, and now I've finally realized that I am really safest when locked up in here, far away from the madness of the real world.

She burst out laughing.

-Glad you found that amusing. But how can you be certain I'm not telling the truth? Perhaps I am actually lying to you by telling the truth? It's a clever trick. Have you considered that?

She seemed to be gazing into his eyes now, with that silly smile all chicks had on whenever he would speak to them for longer than one minute.

_Something always gets to them. _

_Eyes._

_Smile._

_Stubble._

_Hair porn. _

_Laidback attitude or a witty joke._

_The only trick is to guess which part of me fascinates them most, so to speak._

_This one obviously fell primarily for my eyes. Good to know._

Peter focused his sapphire pupils on her, enjoying himself a bit, after having seen her blush.

_And that is a bingo. No harm in light flirt while I'm waiting. Maybe I can even get some useful information. _

-What's your name, honey?

-Amelia.

-That is a truly lovely, vintage old-fashioned name. Mine's plain and simple: Peter. Look, Amelia… Is Dr. Sumner here?

-Yes, he… He got here half an hour ago. He normally comes to work every morning at 6.30.

-Would you do me a favor and call him to come over? I need to speak to him right now and it's quite urgent.

-I… I think that morning visiting hours are about to start… At 7 a.m. Dr. Sumner always passes around all rooms to see how the patients have been doing…

-Does he now? How kind of him. Lamentably, this simply can't wait. And I am sure that he will immediately attend me, as soon as he hears who I am.

-Well… I could try and call him, tell him you are here. Then it's up to him to decide if he will see you or not. There's no harm in that, I guess.

-No. No harm at all-Peter flashed a wolfish grin.

-Dr. Sumner?-Peter could hear Amelia speaking to him. –I'm sorry… I know you told me you didn't want anyone to disturb you until you finish your visit to the patients but there is a man here who says he needs to talk to you and that it's quite urgent. His name is Peter…-she looked at Peter expectantly.

-Bishop-Peter enjoyed seeing the expression on her face alter when she realized what his last name was.

-Peter Bishop, yes-Amelia turned to him once again. –Dr. Sumner says he has nothing else to tell you and that everything had already been said yesterday-the girl looked uncomfortable.

-Tell him I have a little present for him from Office of Homeland Security. That should cheer him up.

Amelia transferred the message and Peter could now hear only excerpts of their conversation but he understood that Dr. Sumner was angry.

-Yes, I know, I think I remember that they said on Monday as well… But he says he has it with him today… So do I tell him to come in? Yes… Yes, sir, I'll do it-she hung up. –He says you can go to his office.

-Thank you, Amelia. You have been very helpful-Peter took her hand between both of his and kissed it lightly, gentlemanly.

Amelia went red in face for a short while; then she smiled and asked:

-Is your father Dr. Walter Bishop?

-That he is.

-I have been working here for five years now and I am very fond of your father. I remember he got out six months ago. I was really glad for him-she started but then stopped talking, as if she were scared.

_She knows. She maybe isn't the one who beats up people or gives them drug overdoses but she knows what's been going on. Probably too frightened to speak up, afraid of losing her job…_

-He came back yesterday, merely to pay a visit to an old friend-Peter said. –But I'm taking him back home right now.

-You are?-her pupils widened in surprise and.,.

_Content?_-Peter wondered.

-Yep. Got the court order and everything.

-He looked much better when I saw him again yesterday-Amelia said with a kind smile. –Being with you… It truly did him much good. All that time he spent here seemed to have fallen off of his shoulders after only six months under your care. You are doing the right thing by looking after him and being there for your father. You are really a good man, Peter.

It was Peter's turn to blush and look away.

He thanked her once again and went down the hall.

**WHEN **he entered Dr. Sumner's office without previously having knocked on the door, Peter found the man sitting at his mahogany desk, looking as astute and cold as he did yesterday.

However, he did jump up after having seen Peter sneak quietly inside and stand daringly in front of him.

-How dare you? Haven't you got any manners? Or did your father teach you nothing?-he sneered despisingly.

-My father was kinda busy sitting here in this crappy mental institution of yours so I was pretty much self-taught. So what? Are you planning on making me come out again and enter properly next time, knocking humbly, like a good, obedient boy? Cause it sure as hell ain't gonna work. How about showing some manners of your own? Something along the lines: "Good morning, Mr. Bishop. How has the life been treating you? What fine weather we have today, wouldn't you agree?"

-I don't need to dwell on empty courtesies with the likes of you-Dr. Sumner snorted.

-Funny, I was just about to say the same thing. The feeling is apparently mutual. Glad we agree about something.

-Enough of you squandering my time. Why are you here?

-I'm sorry doctor Sumner, but I am really not keen on repeating myself. I was under the impression that your cute little receptionist had already filled you in on that. Or did I mishear the conversation?

-She told me you have the court order with you. I don't know how you managed to get it so soon and what strings you've managed to pull, but I am warning you that you are making a big mistake. Your father is not mentally fit to be released from this hospital.

-Thanks for the advice. But you've got it all wrong, my dear Dr. Sumner.-Peter leaned on Sumner's table. -I believe that the correct expression would be… This crazy house is the last thing Walter needs unleashed upon him, at his current fragile state of mind. According to my personal assessment.

-What are you saying?-Dr. Sumner stood up slowly, facing Peter. –Are you saying that I've somehow intentionally managed to harm him?

-Am I?-Peter's fists clenched menacingly and Dr. Sumner swallowed.

There was a tiny black button on the table and Sumner almost pressed it, but he eventually decided he could handle the situation by himself.

A perspicacious smile adorned his face.

-So… Your court order. I presume you got it from Office of Homeland Security-the man spoke slowly, emphasizing every word. –How did you pull it off? I've learned a bit about you since you were here last. You're nothing but a common crook, a criminal and a thug. Enrolling at M.I.T based on fraudulent credentials, starting businesses and failing… You are not a fit guardian for Walter and I am going to petition the state to have him removed from your custody. Your father is a danger to himself and to others.

That did it.

Peter's hand moved with the speed of lightning as it grabbed Sumner by the throat, literally lifting him several inches off of the floor. Another one joyfully accompanied it and Peter successfully dragged the man away from his table, pushing him hard into the wall. He pulled out his pocket knife and pressed it onto Sumner's plexus.

-You were right about some of the things you said, Dr. Sumner. Come to think of it… About all of them, actually. I really am a common crook, a criminal and a thug. What I don't understand is the following: how does an intelligent, cunning person like yourself allow a dangerous thief like me to simply come by your office, with a pocket knife, just like that, without having anyone in here with you to guard you? That was mighty reckless of you if you ask me. Security guards are a bit drowsy on Saturdays at 7 a.m.? Is that it? And now when that little black button of yours is out of reach… I believe we can finally talk safely. Undisturbed.

-Let…me…go…-the man croaked. –I… can't…breathe… It… Hurts so much… I'm in pain.

-Pain? You wouldn't know what pain was even if it were dancing naked in front of you, crying for your attention. Do you know what real pain is? That hollow ache? That gaping hole that comes from senseless tragedy? No, you don't. You live in blissful ignorance like all the happy-go-lucky people who have no idea that darkness is but a whisper away. You have never experienced pain, Dr. Sumner, I can tell you that. But you apparently enjoy in watching other people experience it. You get off on causing it.

-Let me… Go… You… Motherfucker…

-This would be a really good time for you to show those manners you were bragging about moments earlier, don't you think?

-Please…-Sumner muttered eventually, realizing what Peter wanted, although pure disdain was mirrored in his eyes.

-There's a good lad-Peter sneered. –You're a quick learner. It'll surely be even better next time, but I'm satisfied for now.

He eventually released the man's throat but his faithful knife remained on Sumner's plexus as a reminder that head of "Saint Claire's" shouldn't make noise.

-As you can see, my dear Dr. Sumner… The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I am a danger to others as well, just like my father. Especially to those special others who happen to cross my path and try to hinder my intents and endeavors. So you believe you know my father well. Maybe you do. Heck, maybe you know him better than I do. Time is on your side. Sadly, Walter has been locked up in this stink hole for 17 years. 17 years of systematically destroying his psyche and that of the other patients. But here's a newsflash for you. Your reign of terror has ended, Dr. Sumner. You may think you know what Walter is capable of. But now you also got a glimpse of what I'm capable of. I take it you didn't like it too much.

-You are threatening me. In my own office. Do you realize how stupid that is?-Sumner finally found his voice, and boldly spoke up, regardless of the cold kiss of a blade that was lazily caressing his trembling flesh.

-I'd like to see my father now, Dr. Sumner.

-The… The court order. You don't really have it, do you? You were planning this all along? You just came here empty-handed, hoping that I'll release Walter only after your pushing around and shaking fists at me?

-A gentleman never arrives anywhere empty-handed. Those are bad manners.

-Where is the paper, then?-Sumner inquired eagerly, licking his lips.

-Right here-Peter pulled it out of his jacket, enjoying the expression that appeared on Sumner's now chalk white face.

-This isn't the court order… But…-he was getting paler and paler by the second. -Where did you get this?

-I have my own sources-Peter smirked triumphantly. –According to that document, you've personally ordered tons of illegal drugs in the past couple of years on the name of "St. Claire's" mental institution. I don't think everyone will approve of your methods when they find out what medicines your staff has been giving to the patients, and in what quantities. I think I speak for both of us when I say now you'll probably deem unnecessary that Walter stays here for two more days. Am I right, Dr. Sumner?

-This is blackmail-the man hissed under his breath.

-Oh, you've finally learned to call things by their real name? That's cute. Charmed as I am by your lexicological advances, I must insist that you make an immediate decision.

-What do you want from me? What are your conditions?-Sumner swallowed.

-One: Walter goes freely with me. Right now. No questions asked. Two: You fire the two men that were working night shift last night on the third floor.

-But then you'd give me the paper?

-No. Do you think I'm stupid, Dr. Sumner?

-What guarantee do I have that you won't show the document to anyone, then?

-None. My word. My good will and that's all.

-That is not enough.

-That is my final offer. Take it or leave it.

Sumner was gulping hard, deep in thoughts for several seconds.

-Done-he muttered under his breath.

-That's right, doctor. I love it when you play nice. Sign the release papers for Walter right now.

He signed them, his teeth chattering in rage.

-I'll see myself out, then-Peter said in a jovial tone of voice. –I have to tell you that I've truly enjoyed this nice chit chat between old friends. There was a lot of catching up to do but it was a time well spent, wouldn't you agree?

The murderous yet impotent gaze in Dr. Sumner's eyes was what made Peter cackle all the way to the third floor, which earned him couple of strange glances from the security guard who was accompanying him upstairs.

_God, I've started to sound like one of the patients in here. Better not stay inside for too long._

**AFTER** the key was turned in the door and when Peter entered the familiar narrow, dirty room, the first thing he noticed was that it was no longer poorly lit.

It was bathed in early morning sunbeams and Walter was standing next to the window, gazing through it sadly and pensively.

-Oh. Is it time for breakfast already? But it's not eight o'clock yet-he said, without turning around.

-Breakfast at eight? Oh, come on! Really? Are you kidding me? Are you out of your mind, Walter? That's just too early. I am never ever up before ten p.m. unless a weird case kicks in and I take it you know that very well by now-Peter said gently.

-Peter!-the mad scientist exclaimed surprisedly, ecstatically, flying towards his son and pulling him into a firm hug.

Peter patted him clumsily on the shoulders as well.

-Okay, Walter, that's enough… Down, boy! Walter… You're choking me!-he was trying to look serious, embarrassed and slightly annoyed, but a wide smile somehow kept adorning Peter's lips.

-I knew you'd come for me, Peter! That's my boy!-he turned to the warden next, pointing at Peter. –My son, Peter. You know… I told him last night, and I told him good: Tomorrow morning… Tomorrow the sun will rise and Peter will walk in here and hug me and tell me: "Walter, let's go home".

-Walter, how about we leave out the stories about your weird dreams? I'm sure this nice Mr. warden here is not really all that keen on listening to them-Peter knew he had a pretty strong leverage and that Sumner had to release Walter in any case but he didn't think it was too smart for Walter to suddenly start publicly displaying his insanity in front of everyone.

-It wasn't a dream, Peter, last night I talked to him and I distinctly told him…

-Well… You lied to the man, whoever you were talking to. It's way past sunrise, you're the one who jumped me and hugged me and not the other way around and I still haven't told you "Walter, let's go home."

Walter's shoulders sagged a bit in defeat.

-So… We aren't going home?

-Nope. Not immediately, that is-Peter grinned at him and Walter finally realized his son was joking. –Come on. Go get your stuff and your clothes and then we're outta here.

**DURING **their short drive in the old Walter's car, Walter seemed unusually chatty and Peter's ears were already buzzing unpleasantly.

-Hey, Walter! Dial it down a notch, will you? Stop chirping so much. I get it. You're happy that you're outta there but… I can't focus on the road ahead.

Walter calmed down a bit and then he remembered what he wanted to ask his son.

-Son. How did you manage to get me out of the asylum so fast? I spent only one night there and already…

-I pulled some strings-Peter said casually.

He could see his father frown.

-What? You're out, aren't you? And I got you out as soon as I could. That sanatorium…. It's just creepy and spooky. No one should stay there for a long time. So… Don't question my methods, old man. I am more interested in how you managed to get stuck inside in the first place. You couldn't keep still for ten minutes, could you? You immediately showed them how crazy you were so they had no other option but to conclude that "this one is a keeper".

-It wasn't me, son, trust me. It was Dashiell. He got so nervous when I asked him about the equation, I tried to calm him down, I got angry with him because he wouldn't realize the boy's life was in danger… He knew something, that much was obvious, but he simply wouldn't speak up. That was when they sedated me. And then I woke up in my old room.

-Okay-Peter gulped, not really wanting to hear the horrible story that would certainly begin from that moment on. –It's okay. You're out now. You're with me. Did you even manage to get something from him?

-I am sorry, son. I know how important this was for you and for Agent Dunham. But Dashiell spoke incoherently, oddly. The only thing he would constantly repeat was that he was taken to the dungeon under red castle.

-Sounds like he was in a middle of a Super Mario videogame. Maybe it's a symbolism of sorts, but I wouldn't bet on it. I'll let Olivia know.-Peter stopped the car.

-Why are we stopping, son? We're in front of the florist shop.

-That's right. Gotta buy some flowers. And I'll call Olivia while I'm here. I'll inform her about what you've just told me.

-Are you buying flowers for Agent Dunham?

Peter cracked up.

-No. Not really. Walter, what is that obsession of yours related to me and "Agent Dunham" as you call her?

-It seemed like a logical, most obvious choice, that's all, my boy, don't get angry. Oh! Maybe you are buying flowers for that high-school friend of yours? The one you have to catch up with every night?

Walter's guesses started to amuse Peter way too much.

-All right. You wanna play? Let's play? Wrong again, Walter.

-They're not for me, are they?

-Nope. That would be a tad ridiculous, don't you think? They're neither for you nor for Astrid and that leaves out everyone from the lab-he quickly raised his forefinger in the air knowing exactly what Walter was going to say.

-And Gene doesn't need flowers, she has her nutritive hay. Let me satisfy your curiosity, Walter, seeing how you're so eager to find out. We are going to visit the woman I love. I'll introduce you to her and we'll give her flowers.

-Oh! I simply can't wait to meet her, Peter!-Walter clapped his palms joyfully. –That's the most wondrous surprise you could have given me upon my exit from " 's".

Peter shook his head and got out of the car. He dialed Olivia's number immediately and she picked up seconds later.

-Hey! What's up?-she sounded tired.

-Listen. I want you to know that Walter is out-Peter spoke firmly, clearly.

-What? How?-her incredulous shrill voice sounded in Peter's ears.

-You know, it's a wonder what a mixture of some dynamite and explosives can do for a simple stone cell with iron bars in a sanatorium-he joked.

-Peter…

-I know. I'm sorry. Bad timing and a poor joke taste. I sprang him out. Not with a bomb as I previously hinted, of course.

-But the court order wasn't due until Monday.

-I dug up some dirt on Sumner last night-he admitted bluntly.

_She's the only one I'd tell that openly._

-What? How and when did you manage do that? And what kind of dirt?

-I'll explain more when I see you later.

-Okay-she stated, and Peter was actually relieved that Olivia accepted it so calmly, cooly.

_She trusts me_-he smiled.

-Peter… Just one thing. Please tell me you didn't… Hurt Dr. Sumner or anything.

-What? No-Peter chuckled innocently. -Who do you take me for? We had a short, friendly, albeit convincing conversation, during which I simply made him see things my way.

He could hear Olivia sigh on the other end of the line.

-I don't like the sound of that.

-Come on, Olivia. You know I can look after myself.

-I do. That's why the other people in your surroundings are the ones I'm worried about.

-Sumner's fine, I promise. Anyhoo. Listen to this. Walter's with me right now and he's just told me something that he managed to get from Dashiell Kim. I don't know if it's important or if what he heard was just a bunch of incoherent ramblings but… When talking about the place in which he was held during the abduction, Kim described it as a "red castle with a dungeon". Ring any bells?

An absolute silence reigned for several seconds and all he could hear was Olivia's hastened breathing. He couldn't determine what she was thinking.

-Olivia? Look… I know it's stupid, and that it's not much information, but it's true. Come on. Don't be angry with me. I'm really not joking this time.

-Peter… It's not that… It just so happens that Charlie and I are… Standing next to a red brick building with a tower on top. Here in Clarksburg… And maybe… Oh God, it may be the "red castle" you're talking about! I think it's some sort of warehouse. It might be a perfect place to keep the abductee. I've gotta go, Peter, I'll call you as soon as we have something! We're gonna go inside now!

-Take care-he whispered but Olivia had already hung up.

Feeling strangely worried about her, he stepped into the florist shop.

-Good morning. Do you have strawflower?-Peter said.

**TEN MINUTES **later, Walter's pupils widened in recognition when both of them got out of the car and when he finally grasped the meaning of the words Peter had previously spoken.

-Peter. This place you brought me to… We are at the cemetery.

-Yes we are, Walter. We are exactly where we should have been on this day, every year during the past eleven years. To see the woman you and I both love. Do you know what date is today?

-I'm sorry, I…-Walter's eyes watered a bit as he was cursing his impotence inwardly. –I can not recall. I do not know.

-On this day… Eleven years ago. She took her own life-Peter swallowed. –Neither you nor I were there for her on that day. I wanted the two us to go to her grave together today. Like a family. That's what she would want if she were alive. You and me. Getting along. Learning to live together. Trying to accept each other's flaws.

-I'd like that very much, son-Walter muttered.

After a short walk in silence, both son and the father soon found and stood before the familiar white tombstone.

Peter knelt, just as he did last night, but this time, his eyes were dry.

He had a serious, solemn look about him.

-Hello, Mom. I've brought someone with me to see you today-he placed tiny yellow flowers in Walter's hand and motioned him to come closer.

Walter did so, and then he sat next to the tombstone as well, after having laid the flowers on it wordlessly. Tears were running down his face as he started muttering some unrecognizable words.

Peter stood up and looked away uncomfortably, partially because he was not used at all to seeing his father like that and to some extent because he instinctively felt it was an intimate moment Walter and his mother were sharing.

After some time, Walter eventually turned to him.

-Son. Listen…What is this flower you bought for Lizzie? It… it looks strangely familiar but I… I… I am unable to recall…-he started trembling, blinking rapidly, feeling guilty.

Peter grinned at the endearment his father had used. Then he placed his hand on Walter's shoulder, which had an instant soothing effect on his father.

-It's a strawflower. Also known as "the everlasting flower", "the eternal one". It's fairly common in Greece. She… She used to love it.

-It was her favorite. I remember now.

-Yes-Peter nodded with an encouraging smile. –Yes, it was.

Walter suddenly jumped up, his face shining like a beacon, and he started reciting with a thrilled, yet scientific tone of voice: -Flower: Amarantos, helikhruson, khrysokomê; Species: Helichrysum siculum and Helichrysum orientale; Description: A creeping perennial with grayish leaves and stalks, and small, bright yellow flowers. These always retain their color after being dried. The Greek named the flower _amarantos_, "the unfading", _helikhryson_, "turning gold", and _khrysokomê_, "the golden-haired".

-Yes. That's right.-moist was visible in Peter's eyes now. –It was also sacred to the Gods. Dried everlastings were used to decorate… The temples of the gods. To symbolize their immutability and eternity. She used to say she loved them for their bright color and because they were the emblem of her… Eternal love for the two of us. For you and me. Now I guess…-the words got stuck in Peter's throat. –It's gonna be the other way around, huh, Walter? It's forever gonna be the symbol of what we feel… For her.

Walter replied with a small nod and got up.

Father and son stood immobile next to each other for a long time, feeling strangely close, by the tombstone of a woman they both loved immensely.

**JUST **as they were slowly exiting the cemetery and unhurriedly heading towards the place where Peter had parked the car, his cell phone rang for the third time.

-Peter, it's me-Olivia spoke into the receiver a bit breathlessly.

-Olivia. How are you? Where are you? What happened?-those words flew a bit panickedly out of his mouth before Peter was even aware of what he was saying.

-I'm fine… Listen… We found Ben! In the basement of that red warehouse, the one that looked like a red castle. Walter's information turned out to be very helpful after all. The boy is scared but unharmed, thank God. We're bringing him into FBI offices right now, where he will wait for his mom. You should have heard her over the phone, Peter, she was so happy-Olivia's voice was full of content and Peter smiled.

-Good, then. I'm glad you're okay-he exhaled in relief and then his voice immediately transformed into a calmer, more guarded one. –What about Joanne Trotter? Did you get her?

-She… She managed to run away. She used the green green green red flashing lights on me and induced a hypnagogic state. But the most important thing is that… Ben is okay.

-Too bad you aren't color blind, huh, Dunham? You would have gotten her in that case.

He heard Olivia's laughter reverberate in his ears and it reminded him of the sweet, relaxed mood she was in last night.

Peter licked his lips wantonly but then he stopped himself on time.

_No. No, Bishop. _

_We talked about this. _

_You won't go there again._

_You won't inject yourself again._

_You've had your fun._

_Now it's back to good old bachelor life style._

_Time for a different girl to hump your bump._

-Are you and Walter coming over here as well? I'd love to see how Walter is after the night he spent in "St. Claire's". And I want to hear everything about how you've managed to get him out of there.

-Yeah…-Peter sighed, wondering what Olivia'd tell him once she found out.–Okay. We're on our way.

**WHEN **Peter and Walter got to the FBI offices, Olivia was already there, sitting next to Ben Stockton.

Peter remembered the boy from the pictures.

His blue eyes seemed calm and serene and every now and then he would flash a little grin in Olivia's direction.

Olivia was beaming at Ben, showing him a roll of quarters she had in her right hand but the boy shook his head "no" to her question.

Peter could see how Olivia shrugged nonchalantly with a wide smile and then that smile became even wider, if possible, when she saw Peter and Walter approach them.

-Walter!-she gave him a firm, short, cordial hug and exchanged a brief nod and a small smile with Peter as a form of salute. –I'm so glad you're out sooner than we thought. How are you?

-Much better, thank you-Walter returned the hug clumsily, assented somewhat timidly with his head and then he wandered away to fiddle with a coffee machine.

Peter shook his head and grinned.

-He's hopeless. Oh well.

-Peter…-Olivia whispered eagerly into his ear. –What kind of dirt did you dig up on Sumner?-her tone of voice was serious, impatient and unyielding.

-Calm down, I was going to tell you anyway-he chuckled at her keenness. -I discovered, with a little help of my friends, that Dr. Sumner and his staff had been overdosing the patients with inappropriate medications, in order to keep them sedated. Also, some of the employees were apparently harassing the patients as well. So me and Sumner struck a deal. He had to fire those bullies and to let Walter walk with me like a free man immediately… Or else. He agreed to everything I asked from him. He signed Walter's release papers in a jiffy. I gave him my word I wouldn't tell on him. Little did he know my word isn't worth that much.

Olivia stared at him incredulously.

-So you blackmailed him?

-Hey, I got the job done. What? Sometimes you've got to take the law into your own hands.

-I suppose you're not going to tell me which friends?-Olivia sighed exasperatedly.

-Nope-he grinned crookedly. –But I do have this for you-Peter gave her the incriminating document. –Broyles will know what to do with it. I want that guy fired as soon as possible. It's high time for a new head doctor of "St. Claire's" asylum.

-Do you think… That… Walter knew what was going on?-Olivia looked in Walter's direction, her mind whirring.

-Probably. He has mentioned to me and several times at that, mind you… That being in there had put him quite off balance because of the aggressive and inadequate therapy they'd been using on him and other mental patients.

-Peter… Could you look after Ben for a minute while I talk to Walter? His Mum isn't here yet. I have to find out if he'd be willing to testify. With this document of yours and Walter's testimony… We should have enough to lock Sumner up for good.

-Okay. Sure. Why not?-Peter mechanically agreed, but deep inside he knew it wasn't such a good idea.

_I'm lousy with kids._

Peter sat next to Ben Stockton and fidgeted a bit, not knowing where to look.

-Hey, Ben.

-Hi-the boy replied calmly, turning his head around slowly and looking at him with huge, intelligent eyes.

-You OK there? How's it hanging? Much better now that we got you out of that place, huh?

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why the hell did I mention the abduction? It's probably the last thing he wants to talk about._

Peter was right about that, since Ben hadn't replied directly to that question. He focused his attention on Walter instead, who was now standing on one leg while he was talking to amused Olivia.

-Is that your dad? He's interesting.

-Yep… That's one way to put it, I guess-Peter scratched the back of his neck in an attempt not to laugh.

-He's nice enough. Do you live with him?

-Unfortunately, yes-Peter grinned.

-You are so lucky to have him. My dad died in a car accident. It was couple of months ago.

-Yeah… I heard.-Peter was suddenly uncomfortable.

-The woman who took me away… She lied to me. She told me if I solved the equation, my dad will stay and play with me forever. But I knew he was gone, so she couldn't trick me so easily. I was the one who tricked her. And, besides, now I've still got my mom. She'll look after me. And I'll look after her. We'll pull through.

Peter smiled sadly.

_So much wisdom in such a little kid. It's good thing he realizes what a healthy way of grieving is. Stick together. Patch up with what you have left. I could learn a lot from him._

He looked at Walter as well, thinking that he'll try his best to make things different from then on. He owed the old man that much. And he made a promise on his mother's grave. To be a better man.

-Is she your girlfriend?-Ben asked next, motioning towards Olivia and Peter blushed.

_Why on Earth did Olivia leave me alone with this kid?_

–Um… No. She's more like friend who is a girl. And who carries a gun!

-Yeah, I saw it. She has a Glock. She is really hot. And a badass.

Peter burst out laughing.

-Hey, Ben? Aren't you… Um… Some kind of mathematical genius? A child prodigy and all that?

-Child prodigies notice hot girls too-the kid said knowingly. –She fought the woman who kidnapped me and she won. It was so cool, like in an action movie. They pulled each other's hair and all.

_Gotta love good cat fight_-Peter was almost sorry he didn't get to see it for real.

Then a tall, brown-haired, kind-faced woman walked into the office and Ben's face illuminated. He ran up to her joyfully.

-Mom!

_Saved by the bell_.-Peter smirked.

_Who knows what else the kid would have asked me if we had sat here together long enough._

-Bean! Bean, honey!-the woman knelt on the floor next to Ben and hugged him so tight that Peter though she was going to choke him for sure.

_I guess that today is the day for touching family reunions-_he thought, glancing casually in Walter's direction, not at all surprised that his father was looking back at him with deep fondness as well.

Peter stood up and went to him and Olivia.

-Peter! I was just telling agent Dunham I'll do everything it takes to help her in her investigation of patient abuse in the mental institution I was in.

-That's nice, Walter. You know, what you did by going back into that place was very brave of you. You definitely earned my respect. You didn't hide, you didn't run away, you didn't give up on the first obstacle. You went in there, did what it took.

Walter beamed like a praised child.

-Thank you, son. That means a lot, coming from you.

-And thanks to your and Kim's help, Walter, Ben is here today with his mom. So good job-Olivia smiled kindly, wiping a tear from her left eye.

-Peter-Olivia then pulled him aside and he momentarily got lost in her huge inquisitive eyes. –After I talked to Walter, I can assure you that… The information we have on Sumner now… Will help us to definitely put him away. But I would like to ask something of you. In future… Please don't do anything like this again on your own, at least not before coming to me first-Olivia's gaze hardened a bit and he knew she was being serious.

-Yeah, I get it. I don't need another stain on my family name.

-It's not only the stain on your family name. It's the stain on an entire Fringe division, on the Bureau and…-she paused a bit. –On you.

He lowered his head obediently and uttered a single word.

-Okay.

**MICHEL **Loeb stared at the brown haired woman in a light gray raincoat.

-Finally. What took you so long?

-I had to switch cars-she replied a bit breathlessly. –They were on to me. I barely managed to escape.

-But did you get it, Joanne?-the impatience was almost palpable in his voice.

-The feds almost got me, Michel. But yes, have no fear. I think I got it. The boy told me he solved it. It seems complete to me as well. Now let's see if it really does what you said it would.

Loeb smiled contently and then typed the equation into a computer.

Afterwards, he attached a strange apparatus to a safe.

He placed an apple inside the safe and locked it.

Wearing a thick rubber glove, Loeb reached through the hardened metal back of the safe in an effort to remove the apple.

However, nothing happened. His hand remained on the other side of the safe, not being able to breach through the metal barrier.

Loeb wasn't able to retrieve the red fruit.

After two more tries, he stopped attempting.

He frowned, turned around and stared at Joanne with an angry glare.

-It's not working.

-I don't understand-she stuttered. –The equation was supposed to be complete.

-The kid played you for a fool.

-No, that's impossible. I… I don't get it.

-And we're back to square one-Loeb spat on the ground.

-I can continue with my work-Joanne said, confidently.

-What work? You took the first guy three years ago, in May 2006! You got nothing, during all this time, neither from him, nor from any other genius you'd abducted. You're fucking useless!

-Maybe we just need to… Change the approach-Joanne suggested boldly.

-That is an excellent idea and the first smart thing you've said since the day I met you-Loeb stated malevolently, pulling out his gun.

Before Joanne Trotter had time to protest or to say anything, Loeb shot her straight through the heart.

Then he licked his lips nervously and dialed a number on his cell phone.

-It didn't work-Loeb said, grudgingly and disappointedly.

-Well, then? Not all is lost, I trust.-the voice on the other end of the line said. –Try something else.

-Yes, sir. I will. I won't give up.

-Of course you won't if you know what's good for you-the voice threatened and then the line was broken.

**PETER **was tossing and turning on the narrow sofa, staring at the ceiling.

Walter had no such problems, as it seemed.

His father was happily snoring away in his bed but that loud, rude sound wasn't what was stopping Peter from ultimately falling asleep.

At least not this time.

It was the strange emptiness that nested in his chest.

The blank purposelessness which was back again that night and an awkward hollow ache he was feeling.

He missed Olivia.

Not Olivia-the boss. The superpower robot Olivia who would never let her guard down.

But different Olivia. Sweet, vulnerable and feminine.

He might've been able not to think of it during the day.

To tell himself that he wouldn't repeat what he did.

That there was no need to.

In a broad daylight, Peter could occupy himself with…

Different kind of thoughts.

But when the night fell… He was powerless.

Peter felt as if her smiling face was floating all around the room, teasing him, flying around inches from his.

He had a raging boner that wouldn't go away.

Peter had taken two short cold showers already but they didn't really help.

_Damn it._

He got up and got dressed.

All inside him was screaming at him to stay in the room.

But he couldn't obey. He wasn't able to.

**WHEN **he entered Olivia's apartment it was around midnight.

Everything was dark and quiet, except for the sound of running water that was coming from the bathroom.

_She's having a shower-_he grinned mischievously.

His feet led him to the bathroom as quickly as they could.

Peter's heart was beating impossibly fast in eager anticipation.

Olivia was already out of the shower cubicle and she was just reaching for a huge, soft, white towel to wrap herself into.

As soon as Peter opened the door, Olivia turned around, surprised at the sound and then she smiled, realizing who it was.

And oh how she smiled.

Peter thought that Olivia smiled with all of herself.

Her smile sweetened the very air in his lungs and the corners of her lips hooked themselves onto Peter's heart.

No one had ever flashed such a welcoming smile at him in years, decades even.

That silent secret language that shared both trust and emotion.

-Eugene-she whispered. –You're back. I… I didn't expect you so soon. I didn't know that you'll come tonight as well.

Peter felt a pang of jealousy in his chest.

_Well she's happy to "see" Eugene, not Peter._

_But still_-he sighed. _I'll take what I can get. Isn't that who I am now?_

-_I didn't know it either_-he heard himself reply automatically.

_True enough, doll. I actually thought I'll never be back again. But here we are. _

_And my God, you're gorgeous. The way you're carrying yourself… Is so damn revealing. For you, Olivia, are in need. And I know exactly what you're looking for. You need me. _

Peter took hold of her arms, placing them above her head, holding her wrists gently against the cold, unforgiving marble. He used his feet to spread Olivia's legs a little further apart, pressing her cautiously against the wall of the shower.

Peter then pinched her nipples gently as he caressed the length of her body, running his hands over Olivia's soft belly and lovely breasts.

Olivia needed him. He could tell that as she looked in his direction with those half-closed eyes.

He dropped to his knees and ravaged her with his lips, his tongue, his fingers, listening to her tattered breathing.

Peter was learning fast. Nothing was off limits when Olivia was like this. Her urges had robbed her of every inhibition, of every fear.

In that bathroom there was just her and him… And pleasure.

Peter needed her in oh so many inexplicable ways. He wanted to fulfill every longing of both of their bodies.

When Olivia exploded with a sigh into his mouth, her body still quaking from his ministrations, Peter could somehow feel that she still wanted more.

_She's insatiable. _

_I don't know how and why but I can sense that her need to get off again is overwhelming. Here we go honey. A repeat performance._

Peter pulled out his cock. His hard erection hadn't abated since the moment he left the hotel room. He took it into his hand and pressed forward, gently shoving it between the tight, smooth folds of her sex.

Olivia moaned and leaned against the cold tiles, instinctively lifting her legs and locking them around his waist, taking him in.

Peter's palms gripped her buttocks for support as he began a slow, sweet rhythm, easing himself into her and pulling out harmoniously. He practically stood on his tiptoes supporting her body.

Olivia's hands wouldn't stand still.

One moment she was frantically raking his back; then, she was hungrily gripping his chest.

_It's a good thing I unbuttoned my shirt before I came in here, or there would be buttons rolling everywhere around on the floor._

-Oh… Eugene… I… I need it harder… Faster… Please…-Olivia muttered embarrassedly, flushed in face, and Peter smiled at her incredulously, but succumbing to her demand.

_She wants it fast and furious tonight._

_Well what do you know._

_Didn't picture her for the type._

_That's so hot._

_Hang on tight, sweetheart._

_It's gonna be helluva ride._

Peter picked up the tempo, burying his tool even deeper inside her as their temporary love chamber echoed from Olivia's loud groans.

_Power fuck for the win._

Not long after that, Olivia's body spasmed violently; the movement of her inner muscles that gripped his shaft triggered Peter as well and his instantaneous release followed seconds later.

Their co-mingled cum washed down their limbs as he took her tired, exhausted body into his arms and carried her to the bed, still impaled on his half hard member, his knees trembling weakly.

Peter lay on Olivia's bed first; then he placed her to lie over his body, but he didn't pull out of her warmth immediately; he was simply enjoying the feeling of being inside Olivia's tightness.

Olivia let out a deep, sated sigh and yawned, making herself comfortable on top of him the best she could.

When Peter's eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness that reigned in her quarters, he noticed tiny dark bruises on her shoulders and on her neck.

It pained him to see them.

He slowly started pulling out of her, in spite of her tiny moans of protest, and then he buttoned up his pants, placing her to lie on the stomach.

_-Your body is bruised._

-Oh-she shrugged. –It happens all the time. At least in my line of work.

Peter inspected the bruises gently with the tips of his fingers.

_-How are you today?_

-I am really happy-she said tenderly. –Despite the bruises I've got, I've managed to solve the case that I was obsessed with during the last 24 hours. I also saved a child. You know, this is one of the days when I love what I do. I'm proud of being who I am. Saving people, bringing back smiles on their faces.

_-I like the smile on your face_-Peter said flatteringly and was promptly rewarded with one.

_Well, I am not lying_-he thought.

Firmly making his mind up to relax Olivia before she went to sleep and deciding he didn't wanna go for second helping that night, seeing how her body was sore, Peter's palms started roaming Olivia's back with long, light strokes of his fingers.

He firstly began making small, light circles by going up her back and then down again. Then Peter used his knuckles, but mindful to avoid her spine and he was soon rewarded with her purr of delight.

-Eugene…I'm glad you have returned, but I didn't know you were going to return with style-she whispered, realizing what he was doing.

_-Do you like back massage?_

-Who doesn't?-she smiled. –Oh, God, that feels so good. Where did you learn how to do that?

-_On Wiki How_-he lied expertly.

-What?-she giggled and Peter melted on the spot.

-_The website._

-Oh-Olivia yawned yet again and she chuckled. –I didn't know they had those kinds of instructions there. I'm sorry, Eugene, I just… Tonight… I can't seem to keep my eyes open…

A minute or two later, Olivia already fell asleep.

Her breathing slowed down and her plump lips parted slightly.

Peter glanced at his wristwatch.

_40 minutes to go._

He came closer to Olivia's sleeping silhouette and vaguely started caressing her hair, reluctant to leave.

It felt nice to simply lie next to her, do nothing, and watch Olivia dream.

Seconds after, she stirred in her sleep and blindly searched for his warm chest with her soft palms.

Having found it, Olivia accommodated her head on it, sighed and went on resting.

Peter wanted to… Rest next to her. Until the morning came.

_Well, her double bed and her soft boobs are much better option than my narrow sofa and Walter's snoring._

It felt incredible. And…

That was a warning signal he needed.

Peter first checked if Olivia was now actually in a deep sleep.

Then he made sure Olivia was well covered with the blanket.

He embraced her nude body as if saying goodbye.

He had half an hour of invisibility left but he didn't want to spend it next to her.

He passed through her apartment door and went out in the street.

He was running away.


	15. Hooked

**ONE **excruciatingly long week had passed since the kidnapping of a mathematical child prodigy, and yet, not a single intriguing case had forcefully knocked on the door of the Fringe Division, inviting itself rudely to come in and to make itself at home, invading the quartet's private lives.

Peter was truly thankful for that unusual turn of events and for a brief, much needed holiday his body and his mind unexpectedly obtained.

Because, for Peter, it meant one thing.

Seven lengthy, stretched days without Special Agent Olivia Dunham.

A perfect time for performing the test.

Conducting the experiment and finding out what was wrong with him.

Ever since he physically abandoned her apartment in the middle of the night, he firmly decided to abandon all thoughts about her as well.

That was for the best. Self-exile.

No transformation into Eugene.

This, of course, meant he eventually was going to have to reintroduce his cock to his faithful left hand for a while but Peter didn't mind.

Once he stopped thinking about his boss in that way…

He was going to have a lot of happy, carefree, deeply pleasuring one-night-stands with Boston waitresses and shop assistants.

_Steering clear of Olivia._

_It's like fighting drug addiction, really._

_There are several important steps which a man must follow._

_1. __**Decide that you really want to stop being near her**__. No second thoughts! Don't be weak like you were the other night. No going back into her place._

_2. __**Think about other things and don't be disappointed if the action doesn't give immediate results.**__ It'll probably take some time to take her out of your system. Just keep going, Bishop… After enough time passes, when you see Olivia again, you won't feel a damn thing. And then there'll be no stupid, lovey-dovey thoughts about her being cute, ticklish, sweet; no foolish, reckless thoughts about protecting her. Just a professional relationship. Boss-employee. That's where I'm heading. That's my aim._

_3. __**Remove influences that enable you to see her. Identify your triggers, which are people, places, things, events, activities, emotions, times, dates etc. and try to avoid them**_-_done this, the only trigger are the cases, really so…No cases. Whew. Lucky days._

_4. __**Occupy your body and your mind with something else.**__ Well… It just might be the time for the 17 years late father and son bonding, in this case. Until something else comes up. Walter is a handful and… Just a perfect decoy. A direly needed distraction. I'm gonna write down a list of things him and I should do together and that we never really got to do. It'll do Walter good, he's always thrilled when I show even the slightest sign of affection towards him, so he'll definitely say yes to anything I suggest, merely to be able to enjoy my company._

As Peter was meticulously elaborating this plan in his head, he was startled by the loud, rude noise of his cell phone. He froze for a second.

_Shit. No, no, no, no… Tell me it's not a new case._ _And I've just started to… Recover. If you can call it that way. Getting back into shape is maybe a better expression._

When he glanced on the display, Peter was extremely surprised to see Broyles's phone number.

_This is weird. When there's a new case, the food chain goes like this: the top of the pyramid-Broyles, calls to his liaison and intermediary-Olivia, and then Olivia is always the one to look down upon us mere mortals and inform the bottom of the food chain, the lab squints, that there is a fresh weird X-File-ish occurrence out there in the world and that we have to follow her yet again and partake in the new risky adventure._

-Bishop. This is Phillip Broyles.

-Yeah, I happen to know how to read the name that appears on my phone display.

-You and your father have recently, and more than once, been expressing dissatisfaction with your current quarters, which you deemed "cramped", as Dr. Bishop put it.

-And since October 2008… Which is… For seven months now, seeing how we're approaching the middle of May 2009, you have been repeating, like a broken record, that "our living arrangements" are only temporary.

-You and Dr. Bishop have done an excellent job during the last few cases, thus becoming vital to all the operations of the Fringe Division.

-Do I sense warmth in the air? Is there going to be a reward of some kind? An all expense paid trip to Hawaii, for instance? I wouldn't mind it at all. Just sayin'.

-We have been looking into finding you new accommodation-Broyles ignored his sardonic comment. –Regretfully, the Bureau can not afford anything too costly at the moment.

-I didn't think you could-Peter yawned. –Why call me, then?

-It has come to our knowledge, while we were revising the files on your father, that Dr. Walter Bishop is currently in possession of a beach house just outside of Boston city area.

Peter swallowed, clutching the phone harder in his hand as the wave of memories washed all over him.

_My childhood home._

_One of them, that is._

_We used to come down here only during the summers._

_Mom and I._

_Walter's salary made possible for us to have two homes, really. One in the town centre… And another one on the beach._

_Now, as it seems, the beach house will have to do instead of real one._

-That… That's true. We used to have a beach house but… I was certain that he… Sold it or… Something like that.

-Not according to our records. The house still stands, and it's still on Dr. Bishop's name, although it may be a bit…-Broyles paused. –Unkempt.

Peter said nothing.

-You might even find that many of your belongings are still in there.

-What do you suggest?-he muttered.

-The Office of the Homeland Security could give you some… Resources. For the restoration and the renovation of the house that your father owns. I realize that it's outside of main Boston town area, but it's merely half an hour drive from the Kresge building and it shouldn't represent a problem to you. As I recall, you and doctor Bishop own a family vehicle?

-Yeah… As Walter would say: it's an oldie but a goodie. I brought Walter's old car back from the dead quite a while ago, in November or so and we have been using it ever since.

-Than that's settled. What do you think of my proposal?

-The beach house hasn't even crossed my mind, to tell you the truth, but now that you've mentioned it… I guess everything's better than 20 m2 hotel room and a narrow uncomfortable sofa on which I have been sleeping on during the past several months. I would at least have my own room in that house. It's big enough. It's definitely going to be weird to live back there again. Walter's gonna be thrilled, though, I can tell you that.

-We would provide you with anything you need. Since there have been no new cases recently, I trust that you can take a look at the house tomorrow during the day. Your father probably still has the key. Write down the list of the things you might need. Then contact me and we'll adjust the budget for you accordingly. We could also help you find some workmen to assist you in repair, if the need be.

-I appreciate it-Peter muttered awkwardly.

_And this actually happened. Me giving thanks to Special Agent Phillip Broyles. _–It's a good thing you thought of the house.

-I am not really sure how good it is, since the Bureau "remembered" it only after they realized they couldn't afford anything better for you and your father, but there you have it-Broyles stated in his guttural voice. –Until tomorrow.

-Until tomorrow, then-Peter confirmed and hung up.

_Yet another healthy distraction coming my way out of the blue. Well, what do you know? _

_It appears that the blast of the memories from the past will prevent me from pondering too much about Olivia-ish present. The test is turning out to be fully in my favor._

**ON **the following Monday morning, around 8 a.m., Peter left the hotel room, having previously asked Astrid to Waltersit yet again, without telling Walter beforehand about Broyles's proposal.

He wished to inspect his childhood home personally, see in what state it was currently in and decide what could be done about it.

Another two reasons for not bringing Walter along were that he didn't want Walter to pee his pants when he realized where Peter brought him to and…

Peter wanted to step inside the house alone for the first time and relive the past experience in its fullness, not having to restrain himself in front of his father.

Just a bit over twenty minutes later, exactly as Broyles had predicted, the screechy tires stopped in front of the beach house.

_Boston is on the ocean so… Yeah, Broyles was right. The house is actually not that far at all from the city centre and from Harvard University._

Even as he was approaching the house from afar, Peter was pretty much pleased with what he saw.

Although the dark red paint wasn't preserved, and the wooden house was probably going to have to be repainted, the roof looked good and so did the windows. At least they weren't broken. The garden in front of the house was full of mud and overgrown weed but Peter thought that was nothing he couldn't handle.

The house was small, it maybe had around sixty-sixty five square meters in total, with the living room, kitchen and the bathroom on the ground floor, and two bedrooms on the first floor, but Peter was well aware it was much much better than the hotel room they had been occupying for the past seven months.

_It seems decent enough on the outside. Good to know that it hadn't been bitten by a tooth of time. Or destroyed by drugged and inebriated vandalistic passers-by._

The next door neighbors apparently weren't there and Peter thought that was a good thing, seeing how he was about to apply the same marvelous technique that worked like a charm on his other old childhood house.

_Walter probably has a key somewhere but… One: he doubtlessly doesn't remember where it is and two: Why bother? Left-right, up-down… And there we go. No lock can resist my charming long thieving fingers holding an almighty lockpick._

Peter glanced carefully around before he went inside, to make sure that nobody had seen him trespassing.

_On the second thought… Trespassing? Not really. Hey, man. I used to live here. And the house is on Walter's name so… I'm his sole heir. The residence is practically mine._

The musty, malodorous hostile air angrily invaded his nostrils as soon as he stepped over the threshold and Peter sneezed dejectedly several times before advancing forward.

_This place is a mess. Floors are in a dire need of polishing since floor boards are creaking, windows have to be cleaned, all door hinges have to be oiled and there are old boxes lying around, filled with God knows what… Maybe there's even a vermin and/or bug infestation._

Still, he couldn't avoid sporting a wide smile upon entering a spacious living room.

Even though multitude of plastic and wooden tables and chairs, lamps and rugs were scattered all around the area, his trained eyes recognized quite a handful of memories and souvenirs from the past, which waved at him happily from all the corners of the room.

An intact, practically new rugby ball Walter bought for him, but with which they'd never played together.

_He didn't have time_-Peter pursed his lips and sized the ball up briefly before putting it back on the armchair on which it had previously lied dormant.

_Funny. _

_It looked so big and… Important… Back then. I used to hold it firmly with both hands, mindful not to drop it, not to let it fall on the floor. _

_Now it can actually fit on my palm._

A model of a medieval ship his mother gave him as a present for his eleventh birthday.

An old family photo on a mantelpiece which Peter didn't have the strength to look at.

A huge transparent door that led on the veranda caught his attention and Peter automatically went to it, drawn by the vast, familiar blueness that beckoned him through the dusty glass.

_The ocean. My old friend. _

_I'd stand out on that beach for hours… Looking at it. It used to seem like it went on forever._

_Just him and me._

_The child and the ocean. _

_The malleable and the immutable._

_A philosophic book could be written about it. _

_Like Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea". _

_Look at it now. Ever the same. As I was being cruelly molded by the rules of the real world, the ocean dexterously avoided that fate. Abiding, ageless, unalterable. Minding its own business._

Peter smiled, tore his gaze apart from the magnificent view, albeit with difficulty, and went to check up on the other rooms. As far as he was concerned, living room was just a colossal mess that was in a dire need of cleaning up and airing out.

The kitchen was a different story entirely. It longed for new appliances, countertops, and cabinets, and Peter was pretty sure he had just seen a tiny gray body run daringly past his shoe.

_Mice nest. Oh joy._

But after having inspected the room in detail, Peter was certain he was going to be able to perform the remodeling by himself, provided he was using the right tools, of course. Walter probably had all electrical, plumbing and building permits so that wasn't a problem. Some things had to be demolished in order for others to be implemented and built in, while some things simply needed to be repaired. Strangely enough, the fridge and the stove were dirty, but intact and they worked.

_Broyles will be glad to hear the renovation won't cost that much after all. But hold it… Let me go check the bathroom and the two rooms on the first floor before I actually make a final conclusion on how fat FBI wallet has to be to support the remodeling job of this place._

The bathroom seemed intact, although it was incredibly filthy.

_The Bureau won't be flushing money down the toilet, then, I take it_-Peter smirked. _They'll have to spend a thousand dollars on cleaning products instead._

The two bedrooms upstairs were completely empty and Peter wrote: two mirrors, two tables with two chairs, two beds, two wardrobes, two curtains and two rugs down on the list he was preparing for Broyles.

_Okay. So loads of cleaning products, paint, some second-hand furniture for the kitchen and for the bedrooms. That would be all. It won't come cheap, though. It'll probably cost somewhere around 10000 dollars or a bit less. I wonder what Broyles will say to that. Nevertheless, our hotel room cost the Bureau 100 dollars per night, which means they had already paid 20 000 dollars for our accommodation as it is. _

_Not that our salaries didn't cover the part of it, but still… _

_Allowing us to refurnish this place and temporarily boosting our payment power could be a long term solution for them._

Ten minutes later, Peter was on his way back to the hotel room, wearing a content smile. Broyles promptly agreed to everything, giving him a leeway to do as he was pleased.

_It's show time._

**DURING **the next five days, Peter was very secretive and mysterious with his father and Walter was complaining about it a lot. He would mostly leave the hotel room early in the morning and come back late in the afternoon but he wouldn't tell Walter where he was going and what he was doing.

There was one simple reason for those actions, really.

Peter wanted to surprise him.

He had to let Astrid in on a secret, though, because he was certain she wouldn't cooperate otherwise.

_Not that I blame her. _

_Who in their right mind would be willing to spend five mornings with Walter in a row, on a non-working day? _

_It's a good thing she's got the hang of it. A lot of different board games and alternating Sponge Bob and Scooby Doo will get Walter to eat out of your hand, and Astrid has certainly mastered the technique._

Astrid was very positively surprised indeed when he told her about his plans, and she showered uncomfortable Peter with many "awww, that is so sweet of you" and "oh my God" exclamations.

_Women. Tell them you're about to do a good deed, show them a photo of a cute puppy and/or a baby and they melt on the spot._

He was working hard on the house renovation and that goal shoved away all other inappropriate thoughts from his Olivia-Dunham-cluttered brain.

Peter's primarily target was to firstly clean and air out all the rooms except the kitchen. It took him an entire day to arrange the living room, to throw out the unnecessary furniture, clean the windows and polish the wood.

Several Walter's boxes filled with old gramophone records and different things Peter had no idea what they were didn't end up in the garbage in the end-he carefully placed them in the small storage room.

_Walter can go through them later if he wants. _

_It's bad enough I had sold some of his family books way back when I was in… Need_-he scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. _I'm gonna preserve these for him._

Then he spent another day for the bathroom, the hallways and the staircase.

In the evening, Peter oiled all the door hinges.

On the third day, Peter doubled his efforts and managed to spruce up both of the bedrooms on the first floor by placing the rugs and the curtains inside and dragging desks, chairs and mirrors up the staircase. He was drenched in sweat when the deed was done.

The only thing left were the two beds and when they finally arrived the next day, he aided the workman, whose name was Bill, to hoist them, bring them in through the wide window on the first floor and place them each in their respective rooms. Bill then helped him to bring all the old, worn out and useless kitchen appliances outside the house.

Subsequently Peter went to the nearest diner by car to get some takeaway food and cold beer. He shared those with Bill on the porch as a sign of additional gratitude, after having paid him for the work the man had done. They were both chugging their beer and joking around for some time, until the sun had set.

It felt nice to be in the company of common, simple, honest and straightforward person, chat with him about this and that, and have no care in the world whatsoever.

It made Peter feel… Normal.

Healthy, somehow.

Exerting his body, keeping his hands busy and occupied has also kept his mind from dwelling on darker, more unpleasant thoughts.

-You've got a nice view out here-Bill noticed, motioning towards the ocean.

-Yeah, it's huge. It's… Really something-Peter scratched his head.

-Good idea to renovate the place. You gonna be living here from now on?

-Me and my old man, yes-Peter replied laconically.

-Gonna live with your father?

-Not my first choice, really, but he owns the place so my hands are kinda tied-Peter retorted jokingly.

-No one else will be livin' with ya then? You got wife and kids?

-Hell, no!-Peter shook his head, and jumped up slightly, moving a bit from his seat in superstition, as if Bill's words were somehow leprous and contagious.

-I've got two of my own. I'm thirty two, by the way. How old are you, man?

-Thirty… I'll be thirty one in four months.

_Time flies. It seems as if I was twenty only yesterday._

-You don't look that way, you look at least five years younger or more. Got a special girlfriend then?-Bill nudged him crookedly with the elbow.

Olivia's face was the first to come to Peter's mind at that particular comment but he shrugged.

-Nope. Not that I know of.

-Too bad.

-Yeah… Maybe I still haven't found the right gal-he opted for the most common small-talk answer he knew Bill would buy.

Peter didn't want to enter the tedious philosophical debate on the topic "the perfect person for you doesn't actually exist" and "all the girls are pretty much the same" with Bill.

-You keep on looking, buddy. There is someone for everyone on this planet.

_Not for me there isn't_-Peter thought, almost sighing out loud in the process.

He simply couldn't… Fall in love.

_Maybe falling in love is something you primarily and most easily do when you're a teenager. As the time passes, it's harder and harder to… Become infatuated with someone, to admire a girl… _

_I guess that with age… You grow to be more rational, more… Prudent and cautious, you notice more flaws in other people or become pickier… _

_I am actually proud of that trait of mine. _

_Swimming around, without a care in the world… _

_A free player._

_A fish too smart to take the bait._

_It's hard for me to fall head over heels for a woman._

_I still haven't noticed any flaws as far as Olivia is concerned, though_-he frowned.

_But that's not what's bothering me, is it now?_

_What's really bothering me is…_

_That I was… _

_Let's be honest and use Present Simple._

_That I am trying too hard to find them._

-So what's your plan for tomorrow? You could have called me to help you three days ago too, you know? Your boss has got all covered-Bill's booming voice resonated on the veranda as he changed the subject.

-Yeah… I didn't wanna bother you until now. I could handle pretty much everything by myself anyway. It was mostly cleaning and placing the things in their rightful place. Now the beds are one thing I would have never managed to bring in myself, obviously-he grinned. –The only thing that's left on the inside to take care of is the kitchen. It has a mice nest under the cabinet, I think. I'm gonna have to spray them with something. I mean, they're unsanitary, and it's awful to have them in the kitchen, because they multiply quickly and they can do significant damage to the furniture and other… Household items… If they're gnawing around. Not to mention that they can contaminate food by spreading bacteria all over the house. I don't wanna get food poisoned yet, thank you very much.

The workman chuckled.

-You're a funny guy.

-Yep. Bittersweet sardonic sense of humor for the win. Look, Bill. As a matter of fact… I could use your help tomorrow. We have to throw out more of the unnecessary stuff from the kitchen, turn it upside-down and… I still haven't decided, before I introduce the new furniture I've bought, if I should call the exterminators or place mouse traps and mice poison everywhere.

-Hey… The FBI is paying for all this, right?-Bill grinned. –Exterminators are your best and the most efficacious option.

-Okay. I thought as much myself. I just needed someone to ease my guilty conscience for spending so much money.

The two men looked at each other and burst out laughing.

-Not really-Peter added with a puckish smile. –It ain't mine, so I'm throwing it away like crazy. My old man used to be rich, but now we're poor as church mice. The remodeling will cost a pretty penny but… We got a blank cheque from FBI for it so…

-So everything's settled then?

-Yeah… Living room, the bathroom and the bedrooms now look perfect. But I'm tired as a dog. I guess I'll be spending an entire day in the kitchen tomorrow.

-Don't you worry, I'll come early in the morning too to lend you a hand-Bill reassured him. –And then we'll throw away the old stuff, wait for the exterminators, put in the new appliances and clean up. After that… The house will be as good as new. All that in only five days. I think that you've set a world record.

-Well I've been busting my hump a lot in order to make it inhabitable as soon as possible-Peter groaned feeling pain in his back which was an unfortunate combination of furniture carrying and posterior sleeping on the sofa.

-When are you planning to paint the house, the doors and the veranda? Not to mention pulling out all that weed from the garden? And maybe cleaning up the roof?-Bill's eyes expertly flew over all the things that still needed to be done.

-That can wait. I can start doing that stuff next week. I mostly wanted to make it look nice on the inside in the beginning. Could you do me another favor?

-Sure, what is it?

-When we finish with the kitchen tomorrow, would you help me transport a piano to this place? I wanna put it in the living room. We used to have one in the exact same spot when I was a kid. It's at Harvard university… In a basement laboratory where I work.

-Okay. I'll bring a friend of mine to help us out.

-Thanks-Peter shook hands with Bill as the workman was getting up. –You're leaving already?

-I have to go home, spend couple of hours with my wife and kids… Family quality time, you know how it is.

_I don't, really, blue collar, but if you say so_-Peter chuckled inwardly.

-To have dinner she made for me… Second dinner-Bill smiled, correcting himself. –Thanks for the grub and for the beer.

-Hey man. It was nothing. You're welcome.

Peter watched the man's silhouette as he was walking further and further away from him, feeling oddly lonely.

The color of the night sky had become equal as the color of the ocean and the stars were strangely nowhere to be seen.

Peter felt engulfed in the vast darkness.

He got a sudden urge to call Walter, to check up on him, and he pulled out his cell phone, browsing through the contacts.

His eyes paused briefly on "Olivia Dunham" and the "official" photo of her serene, stern face.

Peter idly wondered what she was doing at that moment.

He hadn't seen her nor spoken to her for almost two weeks now and he considered himself nearly completely "purified" of the strange influence she had on him.

It was strange, come to think of it. He, Walter and Astrid had started hanging together often even when there were no new cases for them to crack but it wasn't like that with Olivia. She still kept herself to herself.

Peter remembered how he used to invite her to go with them someplace or grab a bite at the beginning of their professional collaboration and how he eventually gave up after having noticed that Olivia was constantly rejecting him.

_And that's a great thing. _

_Precisely because she's not the type to hang out with her coworkers and she won't be suspicious about us not calling her, not texting her…_

_Perfect for my plan._

Then Peter discarded those unnecessary mosquito thoughts about his boss that insistently drew blood and energy from him, and scrolled further down towards "Walter".

Astrid picked up instead, surprising him.

-Hey! I was worried over here. You normally come back by six p.m. and it's almost nine o'clock. Are you O.K? Where are you?

-I'm fine, I just... Stayed with a workman for a while longer. Where's Walter?

-He's having a bath before going to bed.

Peter snorted into the receiver.

-Cute. Like a good, obedient little boy. The only thing he needs to complete the kid picture is a rucksack filled with the books for school tomorrow and his clothes neatly thrown over a chair. Look… Astrid. Sorry for… Keeping you waiting. I'll be there soon-he muttered uncomfortably.

-It's OK-Astrid replied awkwardly, not really accustomed to such kind treatment from Peter.

_The strangest thing is_-she thought_, he really sounds sincere. Ever since he took Walter out of the asylum he has been behaving better towards him. _

_And towards everyone, really._

Astrid was glad Peter was finally becoming aware of his surroundings and apparently learning to appreciate people who were there for him, learning to get accustomed to their presence and to adapt to the fact that he didn't have to be a loner anymore.

When he was on his best behavior, Astrid considered him funny and pleasant to be around, someone she could actually become friends with in future, she thought.

She was interested to hear about the progress he had made. Astrid was a bit tired from taking care of Walter all that week but Peter had promised her that tomorrow was the last day she'd need to do that and she wanted to check if that was really true.

-So did you do everything you planned for today?

-Yes-he yawned loudly and she could hear the car door open and close. –Tomorrow, I'm gonna be in the kitchen all day and that's it.

-That's great. You were really fast.

-Well I spent more than ten hours in here each day for the past four days. The obvious results were inevitable. On Saturday morning, the day after tomorrow, I'm bringing Walter in here as a surprise. I simply want him to see the place. Then we'll head back to the hotel room and bring all our stuff here too.

-Is there going to be a moving-in-party?-Astrid asked teasingly. –I still haven't found a perfect housewarming gift. And I simply must tell Olivia what you guys are up to! Although, it wouldn't surprise me if she already knew, seeing how Broyles was the one to bring this up. She must have heard about it from him.

-I don't know about the party yet… I'd like to continue working on the house next week… I have a garden to tend to… And the place also needs to be painted from the outside. You don't have to bring me anything for the housewarming gift, just get Walter some nice food and he'll be thankful for it-Peter avoided commenting on whether Olivia knew or didn't know about their new residence.

-I'll think of something for you as well-she said. –So when are you actually moving in?

-Tomorrow, on Friday, I'm done with the remodeling. So I think it's safe to suppose we'll move in on Saturday. There's no point in waiting any longer.

-Okay. Then I'll come and visit you on Sunday.

-Make it Sunday afternoon-Peter grinned. –I'm having a father and son day with Walter in the morning. We agreed to spend time together on Sundays. Or should I say: he coerced me and I agreed?

Astrid smiled on the other end of the line.

-Sunday afternoon it is.

**WHEN **the day of the moving came, Peter had a hard time of calming his father down. They didn't have all that much stuff to bring with them, only three worn out, tattered black suitcases that easily fit in the trunk.

Walter was firstly thrilled like a child, since Peter firstly told him they were going on a two-day vacation because they had won an all expense paid trip to the seaside.

-That's excellent-Walter beamed. –I've never won anything before.

Then he screamed in delight after having realized where Peter brought him.

Lastly, when his son delivered the final blow and announced that they were going to stay in the house for an undetermined period of time and that he had spruced it up for him as a gift, Walter started running around the beach house joyfully and babbling about all the happy things that had transpired in there in the past.

_I shouldn't have put the piano in the living room. _

_Walter is in such high spirits that he might have a heart attack at the mere sight of it._

_Or pee his pants. _

_Again._

His father was in blissful state ever since he realized they were to be back living in their old home, as far as Peter could tell, and he couldn't fall asleep until late at night.

_He actually accepted to go to bed at last just because I told him we have to get up early tomorrow for father and son day_-Peter thought with an amused smile as he finally slumped into his own bed after the action-packed day.

_More like an action packed week. God, I hurt everywhere. I can barely keep my eyes open. But…_-he looked around his bedroom with a sense of pride.

_I got the job done. And now I actually have my own bedroom and my own comfortable bed to rest in. And masturbate. I always had to hide in the bathroom before and was almost always rudely interrupted by Walter._

_Hello, privacy._

He idly thought of jacking off but then he stared at his drowsy cock that hadn't stirred for the past couple of days.

_I'm so tired I'm not even in the mood for that. My poor bald buddy Excalibur. Sex is the last thing on your mind right now, innit? Or should I say on your head?_-he briefly addressed his manhood, and chuckled in the darkness before promptly passing out, exhausted, and immediately falling into a deep sleep.

But it was not a dreamless sleep.

_Peter was knee deep in the ocean, his feet coated in tepid, reassuring salt water. _

_The sun was setting and the whole world around him obtained a warm, pleasant orange hue._

_He felt a tentative hand on his shoulder._

_When he turned around, he saw Olivia standing there behind him in the sand, offering him a wide smile and reaching for his face._

_Peter reached for hers as well, instinctively reciprocating the tender gesture and mirroring her movement without thinking, and it seemed as if the time had stopped as they were simply standing there, cupping each other's cheeks._

_He closed his eyes, enjoying in the feeling of her gentle palms. Olivia tangled her fingers into his hair, pulled on his ears, and pinched his cheeks lightly._

_Peter desperately wanted to touch her like that as well, but found his palms too big for such a ministration, so he opted only for his thumb instead._

_He ran it across Olivia's forehead, staring into her eyes, and then went on caressing her tiny ears, playing with a strand of her hair and touching her soft freckled skin._

_He was obsessed with her lips and with her face. _

_The only part of her body he could never stroke and taste when he was Eugene. _

_When Peter saw her blush and part them ever so slightly, he leaned forward, closing his eyes. _

_For some reason, he couldn't come out of the water, and Olivia couldn't come in to join him. _

_She belonged to the land. He belonged to the sea. _

_But they somehow managed to share a kiss._

_It filled Peter's mind completely, transporting him from there and then, taking him away from the fangs of life and its troubles. _

_Olivia someway took him to a quiet peaceful place where the world couldn't find him anymore and where time slowed to a crawl. _

_Where nothing mattered but the sweet caress of her soft lips, and the taste of her mouth on Peter's gently probing tongue. _

_The sensation of Olivia returning his passion and welcoming him into her arms… _

_It filled Peter with a gentle overwhelming awe at the beauty and the refuge he had found in her. _

_In her kiss._

_Olivia's tongue caressed his soft palate, tugging on it and pulling it gently, but insistently upwards, like a tender fleshy hook._

_When he reopened his eyes, Peter was standing in the sand safely cradled in Olivia's arms._

_On a dry land._

_For one second, his heart stopped in fright._

_But then Peter realized he didn't have trouble breathing._

_He didn't feel like a fish out of water after all._

_He felt cherished and free from harm._

_It felt like coming home._

_-Peter…-she whispered in a loving song-like voice, flowing and hauntingly pure, calming him down._

-Peter! Peter! Peter!-his father's screeching promptly sobered him up and Peter groaned opening his eyes, finding Walter's face inches from his.

_What an ugly way to end the first nice dream I had in months. _

_The first one that wasn't a nightmare after a long time, to be precise._

_Or maybe it was._

_Every unfettered guy's nightmare._

_Why did I dream of her, dammit?_

_I never dreamt of a girl before._

_At least not in a sappy romantic way and not of someone I know._

_Excluding porn stars whom I don't know in person but would love to be acquainted with._

-Walter… What are you doing in my bed? Ugh… What time is it?

-It's 6.18 a.m. I have decided on today's activities. I picked some "cool" ones, as you young people would say.

-That's nice. But…-Peter yawned. –I'm pretty sure nothing opens before nine or half past nine in the morning so… Go back to bed.

-I thought we could go fishing together. The weather is lovely today and I have heard that maximum temperature is going to be 77 degrees Fahrenheit, which is unusual for May in Boston but there you have it. -Walter's eyes glittered but Peter found himself shaking his head in horror as he recalled all of the symbolic dreams he had had during the past two weeks.

-Anything but that. No fishing, please, Walter.

-Oh-Walter's shoulders sagged in regret. –But you used to love it.

-The keywords in that sentence being… "Used to".

-Can we go to the amusement park, then? I haven't visited one since I was a child.

-I was thinking about something more along the lines of zoo… Where we could calmly watch animals and peacefully walk around instead of… Riding around in insane death machines and experiencing post-traumatic nausea.

-Oh, that's a wonderful idea, son! We could go to the zoo now and then we might visit an amusement park.

_You really wanna kill two birds with one stone, don't you, Walter?_

_Why did I mention the zoo in the first place?_

_Stupid, stupid, stupid._

_Oh well. Might as well get this over with._

**FROM** eight thirty till three in the afternoon, Peter's activities mostly consisted of running after his father and trying to rein him in.

Walter ate three blue cotton candies at the amusement park one after another and he spent half an hour in the bathroom afterwards.

Then he embarrassed Peter by screaming loudly on a carrousel, demanding to come down and complaining that it was going too fast.

While they were at the zoo, Walter noticed a monkey who was jacking off and, of course, he didn't miss an opportunity to bring that up to his son and effectively humiliate him.

-Look, Peter!

-Oh, come on! Do you really want me to pay attention to that?-Peter blushed. –Don't point out in its direction!-he whispered furiously into his father's ear, gripping him by the hand and pulling him away from the cage as several curious children approached to watch the scene as well, attracted by Walter's waving and cackling.

Peter feared the disapproving glances of their parents.

-What a lovely specimen. A shiny sleek coat and a healthy sexual behavior. Speaking of which, son, I have noticed you haven't cleaned out your pipes for a while. I can normally hear you in the bathroom when you masturbate but I wasn't able to take notice of anything for at least a week. Be careful what you're doing down there, Peter. You know what they say: if you don't use it, you lose it.

Peter was extremely glad when they finally got back home. He was running out of patience.

**ASTRID **dropped by their new place around six p.m. just as she promised she would.

Peter was able to spot her from afar since he was standing on the roof.

Also, she was in a long white cotton dress and it stood out amidst the grayness of the road.

_Good color choice. She will never get hit by a car that way_-he sniggered inwardly.

An hour prior to Astrid's coming, Peter had climbed the roof barefoot, wearing nothing but a light beige chino shorts and carrying a garden sprayer filled with hot water, bleach and a detergent mixture.

It wasn't exactly his plan to clean the roof shingles on a hot Sunday afternoon.

Especially not after previously having slaved away for five days.

But he simply didn't have the energy to listen to Walter anymore, and cleaning the roof was an excellent excuse to escape his inane talkative father and to avoid snapping at him. He needed some time on his own. It was harder to spend an entire day with Walter then he had previously thought.

_At least I'm being productive. _

_After this, I could pull the weed out of the garden next weekend and paint the house and the veranda the one after that._

_So the house would be back into a perfect shape after a mere month._

_Speedy Gonzales, you've got nothing on me. _

He waved at Astrid from above, frightening her in the process.

-Peter! What are you doing up there? I almost dropped the things I was carrying.

-I'll be right down, Astrid-he climbed down the ladder, careful not to slip. –I was cleaning the roof.

-You're working very hard lately-she praised him.

–Man's gotta do what man's gotta do. Nice dress-Peter sized her up with a wink.

-Wish I could return the compliment but you are hardly wearing any clothes-she rolled her eyes.

-Hey! It's hot out here!-Peter defended himself the best he could. –The roof shingles are like burning coal.

His gaze fell on the basket she was carrying. -Didn't I specifically tell you not to bring any housewarming gifts?

Walter ran out of the house ecstatically in a Hawaiian shirt and white underwear.

-Afro! You're here! Is that for us?

-Yes, Walter, those are traditional housewarming gifts-she smiled at him. –Bread, so you'll never go hungry, salt, so you'll have good luck and wine, so you'll never be thirsty.

-Walter, go put on some pants, will you?-Peter didn't know where to look in embarrassment.

-Oh! This is taftan!-Walter exclaimed, not paying attention at all to his son's plea. - Leavened flour bread with saffron and cardamom powder. It's normally baked in a clay oven which makes it even tastier.

-You're right-Peter looked at the bread, interested. –Where did you get this, Astrid? I ate it a lot back when I was in Iran and Iraq. It's really tasty.

-I don't want to reveal my sources-she joked. –And the wine is for you, Peter.

- Louis Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. Good choice-Peter praised her selection. –So we have a deal, don't we, Walter? You get the bread, I get the wine… And we'll keep the salt for good luck, like Astrid said.

-Oh, and Olivia is bringing a pound cake so that's something we can all eat together-Astrid added casually and innocently.

Peter's brain momentarily froze.

-O-Olivia?-he stuttered, hating himself for it.

_Fuck, Bishop._

_Can't you just… Talk like a person?_

_It's just a chick._

_Like any other._

_And you're way over your obsession._

_You got what you wanted from her._

_She is not… _

_She is not important to you._

-Yeah, it turned out that she had no idea about you two moving in here. I asked her if she knew what you'd been up to lately and she said she hadn't heard from you in two weeks… So I invited her to come with me to the beach on the afternoon picnic today and she accepted. I mean, we get along well enough in the lab… And Olivia is part of the team even though she is our boss. I thought it would be nice to include her as well. Sorry for not having told you sooner but I figured… Where there's place for three… There's place for one more. And she lives alone-Astrid made a sad face but then that expression promptly changed into a conspiratorial one. –You guys. Olivia actually thinks that the stuff we brought with us is for the two of us to eat-Astrid giggled. –I didn't want to spoil a surprise for her. And I didn't lie, technically, because we could have a picnic in front of your house. Olivia just doesn't know it's your house yet. She should be here any minute now, she's parking the car… Oh look, here she is now! Hey! Olivia! Over here! Okay, guys, I'm gonna head on inside and place these in the kitchen. You two say hi to her.

Peter's back were turned to the road so he knew he had to turn around to greet Olivia, but his feet wouldn't obey him. His mind was confused, he constantly swallowed saliva and he felt his palms were sweaty.

_What the fuck is this?_

_I am extremely uncomfortable._

_-_Hi!-Peter heard her say gently. –I didn't know you guys would be joining us as well. I thought this was a girls' afternoon out. Where's Astrid?-her tone of voice was slightly confused and…

_Embarrassed?_

_Why would she…_

Peter got his answer when he turned around and took in her gorgeous pale silhouette.

Olivia's long golden hair was loose, flowing freely in the wind.

She wore a simple but extremely tight light green t-shirt, comfortable white Adidas sneakers and…

White denim Daisy Dukes. That were barely but just covering her buttocks.

Peter drooled at the sight.

_Daisy… Fucking… Dukes. On Olivia Dunham. Revealing her coochie. Her thighs… Her gorgeous legs._

The unstoppable heat ran towards both of his heads and into his cheeks.

For once in his life Peter was happy his father spoke up first. He was at loss for words.

-Agent Dunham! Good to see you! Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes! I almost didn't recognize you there! Oops. I think I've just got an erection-Walter said, blushing. –I apologize. I will be back immediately. I simply have to urinate.

_Now, I am suddenly not glad at all that Walter opened his mouth_-Peter thought, seeing Olivia's cheeks obtain a dark red color.

-Thank you for that information we couldn't live without, Walter. Please put on some pants when you get back from the bathroom-Peter muttered sardonically.

_And I would add "ditto" on the erection thing if I could._

_Bishop boys simultaneous turn on._

_But I can't._

_Only certifiably mad people are allowed to act crazy._

**OLIVIA** didn't understand why Peter and Walter were at the beach as well, mostly in different state of undress.

Peter was missing shoe wear, shirt, or a t-shirt for that matter, while Walter didn't have his pants on but he did wear old black sneakers.

_Combine the two of them and you get a decently dressed _person-she thought with a smile.

_Gosh, if I had known they were going to be here I would have worn something more… Decent._

Olivia didn't mind Peter and Walter's presence at all, and their craziness they immediately started to display; she cherished it, actually, after having spent the most part of the last fifteen days on her own.

The uncomfortable silence fell between Peter and her.

He was drawing an indiscernible image with his toe in the sand, looking down on the ground like a confused child.

She recalled the stone he was carelessly kicking around in the street on the night they went to a diner together.

He never seemed to be able to look her in the eyes for too long and Olivia wondered why.

_Like a boy who has done something wrong and he is ashamed to admit it._

Olivia's gaze took in Peter's suntanned muscular chest and his strong arms before she could control herself.

His eyes seemed even lighter blue in color, making a fine contrast with his now darkened skin and his white teeth.

She noticed that, as the time slowly went by, she had started ogling men in the street more and more, often for no reason, especially their eyes, arms, chest and… Backside.

_This is really embarrassing. That… That kind of behavior is more typical for men. _

_Am I doing it because I… I don't have regular sex?_-she briefly wondered.

_Eugene hasn't dropped by in two weeks so…_-Olivia let out a little sigh.

_What's wrong with me?_

_I used to be in a long, monogamous relationship with John._

_Now, I am having sex with a transparent person… _

_Was having sex_-she corrected herself inwardly.

_And I am noticing things about Peter I most certainly hadn't noticed before._

_So I am practically thinking about three men at the same time._

_I don't even recognize myself anymore._

It seemed as if Peter had been working out because Olivia didn't recall that his chest looked like that couple of months ago. She had seen it only twice before that day, but it was never exactly that wide.

_He looks… Hot. Like some kind of a pirate, really._

_God, what am I thinking?_

Olivia spoke up after some time, realizing that the situation was becoming stranger and stranger.

-So… Where is Astrid?-she repeated her question, not really knowing what else to tell him.

-She's inside-he replied shortly, gruffly and… He seemed…

_Annoyed?_-Olivia wondered.

_Peter sounds as if he… Isn't happy to see me at all. _

-Inside where?-Olivia inquired kindly, with a wide inquisitive smile and she noticed Peter's facial features soften at it when he finally raised his head to look at her.

He cleared his throat.

-In the house-he motioned towards the small wooden house, not far from where they were standing.

-This is her beach house?

-Actually… No-he scratched the back of his neck. –It's ours.

-Yours and Walter's?-Olivia's eyes widened. –But…

-We've been living here for two days now-Peter said in an informative, leveled tone of voice.

-Oh, I… I had no idea!-she exclaimed. –You're not living in a hotel room anymore?

-Nope. Broyles had a sudden, surprising outpouring of charitable spirit. The FBI located Walter's old beach house, gave us some cash to refurnish it… I did the hard work of remodeling it on the inside this week and now it's finally fit for human habitation. There's still the question of all this weed-Peter motioned around them-the doors and the walls will have to be painted but… It's something to call home. For the beginning. I was just cleaning the roof when you two got here.

-Broyles didn't tell me a thing and Astrid was also very secretive this afternoon. I didn't realize I was in for a surprise. I think that's amazing news-she said earnestly. –You are probably very glad you don't have to live in the hotel anymore.

-Yeah-he confirmed briefly.

-Seeing how I didn't know this was a moving-in-party, I would have brought something more than just simple pound cake.

-Don't worry, it's not a party at all. It's just Walter and Astrid who wish to give it a party-like vibe. Pound cake is fine-he muttered. –Come on inside-Peter said a bit callously, offhandedly, hurrying in front of Olivia and opening the door, but actually passing through them first without even looking behind to see where she was and without holding them for her.

Olivia felt a tiny pang of sadness at that gesture, having recalled the gentlemanly manner he normally used to open the door for her, their casual banter and boyish, flirty glances he used to cast her way.

For some reason, Peter looked displeased at her presence and he kept his distance.

_Perhaps that is for the best. _

_I… I was the one who wasn't ready. _

_I clearly told him so._

_So maybe he moved on._

_It would be really awkward to expect him to continue flirting with me after my obvious rejection. _

But still, she missed his previous attention with which he used to shower her.

_I'll have to get used to this kind of treatment, I suppose._

_It would be ultimately unfair to lead Peter on again just because I happen to feel… _

_Lonely. _

_God, my head is… Such a mess right now._

_I have to stop thinking about men in general._

_Work harder._

_Yes, that is what I will do._

_I really hope new case will come up soon._

It wasn't easy to ignore Peter's wide back in front of her as he was walking away towards the distant hallway.

She could hear him yelling at Walter again, presumably in the bathroom, demanding to know where his T-shirts were and how the hell he had managed to put them all in the washing machine at the same time.

Astrid was pouring wine into the glasses in the kitchen and she waved to Olivia, rolling her eyes at Bishop boys.

Olivia glanced around the living room.

Huge transparent glass door were what attracted her attention first.

The vast blue ocean, caressed by the rays of the already setting sun, seemed so close seen through them, as if she could simply stretch out her hand and reach it.

_It must be beautiful to wake up in the morning with the sound of the waves._

She liked the simple decoration of the house interior; the nice cozy atmosphere enchanted her and she absolutely loved the implemented wooden elements.

_Peter has done a great job refurnishing it._

_He is really skillful._

As Peter and Walter were coming to rejoin them in the living room, Olivia's gaze fell on Peter's hands as he was furiously gesticulating to Walter about something and she blushed at her thoughts.

_This is crazy._

Olivia decided to help Astrid out in the kitchen and clear her head.

When the glasses were all brought into the living room, Walter started saying the toast but a foul sound and an unpleasant odor interrupted it.

-I apologize about the smell-Walter said hastily, waving his hands all around him. –Gases don't choose the time when they are going to come out. It was a natural, though completely involuntary bodily reaction.

-Oh, come on!-Peter slammed his glass on the nearby table so hard that Olivia thought it was surely broken. –Have you just farted? Now, of all times? Must you ruin everything?-he shouted at Walter and promptly, swiftly left the house, sliding the glass door and disappearing out of sight, without turning around.

**PETER **was walking rapidly towards the ocean, clenching his fists and trying to breathe deeply.

His eyes were burning and his insides felt as if they were turned upside down.

It was so hard to endure Walter's behavior, to get used to the man and to the constant humiliations he was exposing him to with his screams, nakedness, burping and farting.

What his father had just done was an icing on the cake after the long, torturing day Peter was forced to undergo in his company.

He stepped into the cold, reassuring salt water until his legs were soaked in it up to his knees and he immediately felt better.

The liquid salty blueness of the ocean waves that were coming to him soothed his interior wounds, gradually extinguishing the tall raging flames of fury behind his eyelids.

Peter's eyes fell on the horizon. The sun was setting.

The soles of his feet were suddenly itchy.

_I… I want to travel. To be on my own. To abandon this place._

_To get rid of the hooks ripping through my flesh, pulling me back, holding me down._

_I have always been alone. _

_I can't… _

_God, I can't learn to live with others. To make a compromise… _

_I won't leave, though._

_My mother… _

_I promised._

_She wouldn't want that._

_She would want me to be kind, tolerant, patient with Walter. _

_And I was._

_I tried so hard._

_I gave him a new home._

_I took him out today._

_I appeased him._

_But everything has its limits, its breaking points._

_Sometimes I simply can't tolerate him._

_Maybe if I just… _

_Stay out here for a while longer._

_It'll get better._

_It has to._

Peter then became aware of familiar soft footsteps approaching him from behind and he took a deep sigh bracing himself.

_And Olivia._

_On top of everything._

_Another temptation, here to torment me._

-Peter-he heard her whisper with care but he waited for a while before turning around.

When he did so, he saw Olivia standing there right behind him in the sand, with a wide insecure smile.

-Hey-Peter muttered, somehow managing to look Olivia in the eyes.

_Lovely. Dream scene for the win. _

_This is how déjà vu looks like, folks, innit? _

_Not that I ever had one, so I wouldn't know._

-It's beautiful out here-she said, gesturing at the ocean and the orange sun that was now positively, shyly sinking into its dark depths.

-Yeah, it's quite a sight-he sighed and came out of water, sitting on the warm sand dejectedly.

Seconds later, Olivia sat next to him.

Peter gulped.

He was trying hard not to glance sideways at her so he focused on the rippling surface instead.

It was sweetly painful enough to listen to her voice and to unequivocally, strongly feel her presence after fifteen days.

-I forgot to tell you-she whispered-and I think you'll be glad to hear it… Two days ago, Dr. Sumner has been removed from his position as a head of the mental institution Walter was in, thanks to his testimony and the incriminating document you provided.

-Cool-Peter replied grumpily, throwing a stone into the ocean and watching it sink. –At least there's some use of Walter.

-It was really nice of you to do what you did. To renovate the house for your father and to surprise him the way you did-Olivia praised him, wanting to place a hand on his shoulder but the way Peter was turned away from her was telling her not to, so she didn't.

-Yeah… Now I'm having second thoughts over here as far as that wonderful gesture is concerned-he stared at the ocean. –Because from this moment on, I'll actually have to share that very house with him. And I'm not really sure if I want to.

-Peter… How different was it back there in the hotel room? Maybe it was even worse. Now you'll have more privacy. You just might be a bit nervous because you have spent an entire day with him and he's set you on edge. It's going to get better when we start working again, when a new case appears. You two will be more occupied then. Despite everything he may say and do, your father loves you. Walter is a good man. And you're good with him, despite what you might think.

-He's not the man I used to know.-Peter muttered but he couldn't deny that Olivia's words were already etched into his being.

_Calming me down in a jiffy._

_Just like that._

_You always know what to say. _

_Don't you, Olivia?_

Peter looked at Olivia without comprehending her power, and their eyes locked for several seconds.

That triggered something deep inside Peter, and then the words started flowing out of his mouth like a pack of unrestrainable dogs eager to start the hunt.

-I used to think the world of him. I used to admire Walter so much before he… Got himself locked up in a looney bin. Even if he didn't deserve that high regard I held him in. Even if he didn't spend time at all with me and my mother. In the summer… On Saturday mornings he… He would come to the beach house so that we could have breakfast together. I would always wake up before the alarm went off. I could smell the pancakes, which meant Walter was here.

Peter swallowed and stopped talking for a while but then he drew strength from her calming green eyes that were silently watching him with comprehension and kindness.

-I… I'd creep down the stairs and there he'd be. Standing over the stove. Flipping pancakes. He used to make them in the shape of whales. Those… Those were my favorite-the syllables got stuck in Peter's throat and it seemed that an eternity had passed before he managed to go on again.

-He seemed so big back then. I'd just stand there… Watching him… Kinda like I used to watch the ocean. With awe. Now he… He's just a shadow of his former self.

-I don't think so, Peter-Olivia spoke in a firm, decisive voice. –I disagree. In my opinion, and as far as I can conclude from your story, Walter is so much more now than he used to be. If… I'm sorry if I'm crossing the line and if this is none of my business but I just wanted to say that… Before… He was an excellent scientist and not much of a father. Now… He is still a great scientist but he's… Trying really hard to be a good father. He's very affectionate with you, he wishes to redeem himself for the past wrongs. I understand that he might be a handful, that he isn't a man you used to know and that sometimes he seems like your child more than the other way around but… He's here. He's with you now. And you have the chance to form a bond with him yet again. I think you should take it. And I know you want to because if you didn't, you wouldn't have saved him from the asylum two weeks ago. You wouldn't have done all this for your father.

The only thing Peter could think about after having heard her insightful monologue was:

_Dang. She's kinda perfect. Fucking perfect. There's no chip in that china. No flaw at all. Lawful good. _

_Too good to be true._

_I've never met a girl like you before, Special Agent Olivia Dunham._

_It's official._

_And I probably never will._

He fidgeted uncomfortably, trying hard not to stare at her when she added with a whisper.

-Your father is… Still here with you, Peter. My… My father passed away when I was a child and I sorely miss him. You should spend as much time as you can with Walter now because… The nature of this job we're doing… And the time by itself… Take the people we love away from us. If something ever happens to Walter… Something that might tear you apart, never to see each other again… You will be sorry you missed this chance to bond with your father again.

_And don't I know it, Olivia._

_I experienced that feeling oh so well, first hand, when Elizabeth killed herself._

_I was overcome by guilt. _

_I wasn't there for her at that moment._

_I cursed myself for not having spent more quality time with my mother after Walter got institutionalized, instead of acting on selfish impulses, and being a handful for her._

_I hear you, sweetheart._

_I hear you loud and clear._

-Thank you-Peter blurted out embarrassedly after several seconds and he was relieved when he saw Olivia said nothing, but simply nodded to his words and went on staring into the ocean as well.

-You know…-he chuckled, pausing, decisive to draw those lingering sad thoughts away from them. –The day might not have been so bad after all. Maybe I exaggerated. Perhaps Walter and I did bond along the way, even though we weren't exactly throwing around good old pigskin. Somewhere in between his triple bathroom visit after he ate too much blue cotton candy at the amusement park and his enormous desire to jump into a swimming pool, join the dolphins at the zoo… A connection was made.

Olivia stared at him, wide-eyed, incredulous, not sure if Peter was joking or not, and then she promptly had a giggling fit when she realized he was retelling the authentic adventurous events from that day.

-You…-Olivia couldn't stop laughing and Peter just couldn't prevent himself from gawking at her… -You're actually being serious?

-Oh yeah-he nodded casually with a feigned professional seriousness. –I… left out some other… Gory, perverted details…On purpose, since they aren't really fit for lady's ears.

-So you think me a lady?-she teased him.

-Yes I do. And a very fair lady at that-Peter whispered but for some reason, he didn't look her in the eyes.

Olivia wondered why Peter had said those words to her so quietly, with such a melancholic tone full of… _Defeat?_-she thought. He was normally all flashy, flirty smiles, all casualness. Touchy-feely. But he wasn't reaching for her now… He wasn't teasing her like he normally would.

The uncomfortable silence, thankfully, didn't last longer than few seconds, and then Peter startled her with his loud voice.

-I mean, look at you. That pale skin, those freckles… I half expect you to ask me how I take my tea. A real 18th century English lady.

-In that case, you are a pirate-she said with a smile.

-A pirate?-Peter frowned. –Where did that come from all of a sudden?

-Well I haven't seen you in two weeks and you already appear different to me. More… Muscular… More… Suntanned, I guess. Your skin is darker. And your eyes are somehow bluer and more pondering… I… I don't know. Maybe it's from all that staring at the ocean you've apparently been doing lately-Olivia admitted in a casual tone and trying to joke at the same time, but stopped speaking when she noticed how Peter's eyes glinted with surprise in the semidarkness that was already enveloping them.

He was studying her, Olivia realized.

_Elizabeth used to say things like that… _

_She used to compare my demeanor with the ocean and with my current eye color._

_When I was calm… _

_My eyes were green like the calmness of the green water. _

_When I was pensive or sad, they were blue. _

_And when I was angry or upset, they'd obtain either a nuance of a dark, deep blue or that sullen grayness of the ocean just before the storm._

-What can I say? The years have been treating me well-Peter joked, alluding to the apparently longish period of time during which they hadn't seen each other. But don't think that this lovely bronze comes without a price. You should have seen me last week. I was as red as a lobster.

Olivia chuckled yet again at his comparison and he paused to fully appreciate the look of the smile on her face.

Her eyes were sparkling happily and Peter's gaze caressed her forehead, her tiny ears, her endearing freckles and soft, full, slightly parted lips. He vaguely thought how it would be like if he could trace them with his thumb but he didn't dare to make a move.

_Yeah… Just like in the dream. _

_But dreams aren't reality._

_And don't you know it, Bishop._

_A princess and the scoundrel. _

_I will never deserve her._

_Not much of a fairytale._

-You're looking good too-he said simply, without embellishing his statement with flattering saucy adjectives as he normally would.

Peter was merely stating the obvious, enveloping her entire figure with his gaze but unable to stop himself from lingering on her breasts and on her sculpted thighs.

Peter wanted to be coated into her liquid warmth yet again.

-Have you…-he swallowed, somehow managing to avert his stare and to banish his lustful thoughts. –Have you been working out more lately or something?

-Yeah, I love jogging in the morning. So I've started to jog whenever I can. Whenever there's no new case. I also do pushups and abs workouts in the morning. I like to be in shape.

Peter nodded.

_It's understandable. She has to be. She's an FBI agent._

_Dammit, she's beautiful._

_So hot. _

_And I… I missed her. I'm actually glad she's here_-Peter admitted to himself.

-It's good to see you again, Olivia Dunham.

-It's good to see you too, Peter-she smiled at him and stood up, hugging herself instinctively.

-It's getting quite chilly out here. You comin'?-she motioned towards the house. –I really want to try some of that wine Astrid bought you. I could go for a slice of a pound cake as well.

-Be with ya all in a minute-Peter said, without turning around, still looking into the deep blue water.

-Okay-she nodded calmly, knowing he was telling the truth.

_Dang, this is all so fucked up_-Peter thought when he was finally left alone.

_After what I did…_

_And after what I am going to do again tonight, no matter how sly and conniving it is._

_We'll never be able to have a real relationship._

_Not that I was planning on it. _

_I just wanted couple of one night stands and… Then… Moving on._

_But the desire for her just… Appeared on its own._

_And it won't go away. No matter what I do._

_So that actually happened. Bummer_-Peter's shoulders sagged in defeat.

_Apparently, this is one drug I can't wean off of so easily._

_I'm hooked._


	16. Surrendered

**Hi guys, here's another M rated chapter for you… **

**The events are moving very slowly and the story is maybe becoming a bit too detailed and descriptive, but a new case begins in the next chapter (1x09) so all is good… **

**About the question some of you had on Peter and the serum…**

**Yes, there will be unwanted side effects of the serum taking, but that part comes later.**

**Happy reading!**

**PETER **barely made it through the end of the celebratory evening in the beach house, even though the unwanted guests didn't stay longer than one hour.

Ever since his shadow silently skulked back into the living room, no longer sulking, he…

Couldn't stop gawking at Olivia.

His hungry lustful eyes feasted on the contours of her soft breasts, her sculpted thighs and her buttocks, feeling the familiar, pleasant strain in his shorts.

No detail escaped his focused, trained stare.

Peter thirstily drank every drop of her presence after the two weeks' dehydration.

_Her soft gaze._

_How she tucks her hair behind her ears when she wants to show that she's fully focused, paying attention to every word of the conversation._

_The kind mannerisms._

_The way she giggles and shakes her head to something Walter or Astrid say._

_More Walter than Astrid._

_Can't say I hold her responsible for that._

_I should learn from a pro._

_That would be a healthy way for me to handle my anger and irritation at him. _

_Turn it all into laughter._

_God, I wish I could_-he squeezed the glass of wine he was holding and turned his back at the main party, his arms crossed, deep crease between his eyebrows.

_Will I ever be able to do what is expected of me?_-Peter mocked himself inwardly.

_Will I ever be…_

_A dutiful son to Walter?_

_A good colleague to Astrid?_

_A friend…_

_To her_-he swallowed.

_And nothing more._

_Can I?_

_Do I even want to?_

_Or should I just send it all to seven hells? Lift the anchor and sail away?_

He emptied the glass in one gulp revisiting the image of himself, powerless, spent, kneeling on his mother's grave.

Reminding himself of his duty.

Sensing his distress, Olivia suggested they called it a night and Astrid immediately agreed.

-Nonsense, Agent Dunham! You've only been here for under two hours!-Walter was trying to dissuade her but she excused herself politely, saying that she had to drop by Charlie's house as well since they hadn't seen each other for a long time too.

-Peter, you've driven our guests away with your sulking! At least come over here and sing us a song. What a fine voice my boy has, Agent Dunham!

_The old man has a point. Olivia and Astrid are probably eager to run away from my foul mood and I can't blame them for that at all. _

_And I can't blame myself for wanting her to leave already._

_It's like trying to stop drinking and being locked up in the room full of alcohol._

-I know-Olivia flashed an encouraging smile in Peter's direction.

It took him some time to remember where the heck she had heard him sing.

_Oh, yeah. The diner. "Taking care of business"._

_It… It seems as if it had happened ages ago._

_Not only do I see things for a completely new angle now but… _

_I also see her differently._

-You've all heard him play the piano but that's nothing in comparison to when he plays it and sings a song at the same time-Walter was ecstatic.–Come on, Peter, what do you say? One about finally coming home-his father sighed and motioned all around them blissfully.

The first song that popped into Peter's mind as he was accommodating on the piano stool was the one sang by the band Foals, "Blue Blood".

He had heard it for the first time in 2008, during the summer, just a few months before he was forcefully recruited as a member of Fringe division, and it had stayed with him since then, mostly because of the lyrics that stuck in his mind and somehow reminded him of Elizabeth.

Peter had learnt how to play it on the piano and he would always come back to it.

_Now… _

_The song might as well perfectly be applied to Olivia._

-Fine-he nodded a bit crossly. –Fine. It's um… "Blue Blood". It's about coming home. Just like you ordered, Walter. With a little help of a special someone.

-By Foals?-Astrid exclaimed. –I know that song! It's rather new one, but I love it. Can't wait to hear you sing it! I thought it was more for a guitar strings but I guess it could be adapted and played on the piano as well, of course.

He thanked God that Olivia hadn't made a comment yet and that Walter was actually the one to eagerly lean on the piano in front of him and not Olivia, because he wasn't certain if he would be able to open his mouth at all if the latter had been the case.

_First time I played for her was to pass the time._

_To amuse both her and myself._

_Indulge the hot chick and watch her swoon and drool over me._

_To fuck around, because I was bored._

_This time… _

_It would mean oh so much more and it would be just…_

_Plain awkward._

Astrid stood next to him and Olivia was behind him.

He could unmistakably sense her presence.

_My hair literally stands on the back of my neck._

_God what she is doing to me…_

His deep voice resounded in the living room a bit quietly, nervously in the beginning, but then he picked up pace and gained confidence.

_You've got blue blood on your hands_

_I think it's my own._

_We can go down onto the streets _

_Follow the shores._

_Of all the people, _

_We could be two._

_Then I bite my nails to the quick_

_Run back home._

_You've got blue blood on your hands_

_I know it's my own._

_You came at me in the midnight_

_to show me my soul…_

_Of all the people, _

_I hoped it'd be you._

_To come and free me, take me away._

_To show me my home._

_Where I was born._

_Where I belong._

Olivia's fingernails almost drew blood from her palms as she was listening to the song.

In a way, that incredible synesthesia a man and an instrument which served as an expression of his soul; of Peter's voice and of the captivating piano melody got to her, slowly creeping through her ears and then crookedly invading her mind, overflowing her entire being.

Olivia felt goosebumps all over her body; she blushed at the tiny pool of wetness that suddenly glistened between her legs and at the sensation of her nipples readily hardening to his husky tone.

Her brain was flooded with images of…

Love.

And all the moments of her life when she fell in love at least for a little bit.

The message that song was sending, the unison of two souls and of two people feeling comfortable together, caring one for another, making each other happy…

Finding a home in someone's heart.

She thought of Lucas first, and of the day on which they were looking for an apartment of their own.

It made her think of John next, of his romantic, devoted, protective love.

Of a night they spent walking down the street, just holding hands and enjoying the evening in silence, being two in one, completely knowing each other and just… Belonging.

Of the purely sexual contact she had in Eugene, who came at her in the midnight, and of the moment after they had collapsed on her bed, utterly spent, when his shivering palm brought her head to his chest.

Of a wobbly but existent, sincere friendship that had begun to bud between her and Peter after many months of casual flirting.

Of an instant they'd just lived together on the shore of a deep blue ocean.

The moment in which she told him to come inside the house.

To come home.

Where he belonged.

Those were all times in Olivia's life when she felt cherished, needed, loved, looked after, pleased and sated.

How woman was always supposed to feel.

But none of them currently had the fullness and ripeness of the feeling she had experienced with John.

_Love._

The memory of Lucas had youthful passion and enthusiasm, hopes and future dreams interwoven in its tapestry.

_Adolescence._

The memory of Eugene was imbued with electricity and unsated hunger of her now mature, lustful body.

_Sex._

_You've got blue blood on your hands. _

_I want you to know._

_I hoped you'd come and take me away,_

_Back to my home._

_Of all the people,_

_It had to be you._

_Then I bite my nails to the quick, _

_Run back home._

_You showed me._

_Where to go._

_To my home._

_To my home._

_So take me._

_Through the roads._

_That you know._

_To my home._

The memory of Peter was a symbol of…

She wanted to say: _Friendship_. But she couldn't.

It was vague.

Kind of like the image Olivia currently had of him and it was the only one that wasn't brought to her mind crystal clear by the power of music.

It was so different from the others, shown in its entire potential, but not in its finality.

Invoked as a hazy, blurry and undefined person, like a history in making, ever shifting and ever changing from strong, extrovert, invading, to shy, private, secluded and mysterious…

From angry, violent, vulgar and apparently superficial to soothing, sweet and so profound that Olivia was sometimes afraid she would drown if she looked Peter in the eyes for long enough; she was certain she would lose herself in him.

It couldn't be friendship when she knew very well she had to be careful and think how to behave at all times, what to do, what to say.

Always watchfully keep her distance, be on her guard so that she didn't get sucked into the powerful, enticing, sensual vortex.

So that she didn't get lost in the all-consuming chaos that was Peter Bishop and that she couldn't possibly begin to understand.

Constantly standing on the edge of the abyss and calming down the beast that roared in its depths.

Olivia took a deep sigh and willed herself to come back to the reality.

The song was long over. Walter praised Peter's piano performance, while Astrid gave credit to his voice.

Olivia barely had the strength to mutter that it was beautifully sang, embarrassed with her arousal, before she and Astrid excused themselves and went home by Olivia's car.

**IT **was almost midnight and Peter was pacing nervously all around his bedroom.

From the door to the window.

From one wall to another.

His eyes full of Olivia's image.

His ears filled with her voice.

His skin starved for her touch.

His nose invaded by the whiff of her scent.

_It's kinda like chicks describe how it looks like when you're on a diet._

_You swear you won't eat chocolate at all._

_For instance._

_Then someone, somehow, makes you try: "just a little bit"._

_A tiny cube of sweetness._

_Before you know it, you've already bought a 300 g Milka bar and you've devoured it all in under quarter of an hour._

_I've got a taste of Olivia tonight after two long weeks. And now I just want more. _

_Heck, it's worse than it was before._

_There is no way in hell I'm going to fall asleep tonight._

_Despite the soothing sound of the ocean._

He could hear Walter's light snoring and he thanked the God inwardly for the separate bedrooms.

_I guess it's a good thing that we aren't in a hotel right now._

Then his mind went right back to Olivia.

_This is bad… This is so bad… Bishop… _

_You're done for._

_Your days as Eugene are numbered. _

_You know that, don't you?_

_Twenty five more times top and then…_

_Never again._

_That's why you want to take the full advantage of them, feel closest to Olivia as you can. _

_I want piece of her… Crumbs from her table… _

_I know I'll never have her soul and her body is all I can have. _

_For a determined period of time._

_Ironically, she sees Eugene as a sex toy only._

_She's apparently becoming close to Peter. _

_Who would have thought that might happen?_

_Not me._

_If only I had waited a little longer instead of starting to take this fucking serum._

_But… Peter… That is to say… Me… Has to stay away from her._

_What the fuck am I going to do when I can't use the serum again?_-he reiterated clutching his head.

_How am I going to be able to get a daily fix of her skin, of her breasts, of her body?_

_I would have to tell her if I want to try to… To be with her_-those words sounded so surreal that Peter wondered if they were really coming out of his mouth_._

A term "girlfriend" wasn't the one he'd use often.

_Not ever, actually. But… _

_I can't. _

_Even if she said "yes", which is highly unlikely, seeing how she gave me a cold shoulder less than a month ago, Olivia would immediately realize who I was the first time we went to bed._

_She would know that Peter and Eugene were the same person._

_God, I can't think about this anymore, I'm gonna go insane._

_I… I have to see her._

_Only to watch her fall asleep._

_Nothing else._

_I don't want anything else._

**WHEN **he entered her apartment half an hour later, Olivia was comfortably lying on the couch, intently watching an action movie in which a heroine was apparently kicking some bad guy's ass.

_She's still awake._

Peter didn't recognize the film but he didn't care about it much, either.

He stopped in the middle of her living room, and then just went on standing there and staring at her.

Olivia was still wearing the same t-shirt and those Daisy Dukes that drove Peter mad with desire, but she was barefoot now and her long legs stretched in their entirety over the couch.

On the table in front of her, there was a plate half-filled with food and Peter read "Bombay chicken" on a tiny cardboard box next to it.

_She ordered food from the Indian take-out._

_Figures she was hungry. Not like we gave them anything to eat at our place, she and Astrid merely had some pound cake and a glass of wine each. _

_I was the one who drank three glasses of wine._

_Walter didn't have any._

Olivia reached for the plate and he licked his lips watching her eat.

For some reason, the way Olivia Dunham ate was a huge turn-on for him and it made Peter sigh inwardly.

_Maybe that's because I hardly see her doing it._

_And to think that I'll never be able to kiss Olivia._

_Dang what an idiot you are Bishop._

_An impatient idiot._

When she had finished, Olivia stood up and made for the kitchen, presumably to wash the plate and the fork and Peter's eyes followed her backside as she was walking away, her hips slightly swaying.

Peter pursued her blindly, without even being aware what he was doing. He simply wanted to make the best of his late night visit and imbibe as much as he could of Olivia's sweet nectar.

He was so focused on that arousing view up ahead that he hadn't even noticed Olivia's sneakers, that she had probably previously cast away carelessly on the floor.

He tripped and almost yelped out loud, startled; he managed to cover up the noise with the less audible gasp, but Olivia had already heard him.

It was too late. She had realized he was there and she swiftly came back into the living room.

-Eugene?-her eyes widened and Peter gave her credit: she was staring exactly in the direction where he was standing, now rubbing his sore ankle.

-_Olivia-_he sounded confused and resigned at the same time, revealing his presence to her.

_I guess there's no point in skulking around anymore._

-How long have you been standing there?-she sounded cross and Peter couldn't really blame her. –I don't mind you coming here but I don't like it when I don't know you are in my apartment. Have you come here before? After… Your last visit?

-_No._ _This is the first time in two weeks. I've been here for couple of minutes only. I was going to tell you I was here but then I tripped-_he lied.

-Okay-her voice was cool and Olivia simply nodded before returning to the kitchen.

Peter then heard the sound of running water and his ego was hurt a bit.

_Well that was a warm welcome. _

_She doesn't see Eugene for half a month and she's all high and mighty._

_On second thought… She might be angry cause I haven't visited in quite a while._

_You're in the dog house, Eugene. It's time to suck up to your lady. _

Peter wanted to be on good terms with Olivia as Eugene. It was painfully obvious she wasn't going to wish to have sex with him on that particular night, not that he wanted to, either, but he couldn't stand seeing her cross with him.

_Technically, she's not angry with me, aka Peter Bishop but…_

_I just can't bear Olivia looking at me like that. _

_Or… Ignoring me, as a matter of fact._

_In whatever form I might currently be._

He rapidly entered the kitchen and then his palms encased her waist, wantonly sliding onto her faultless butt cheeks.

Peter apparently couldn't control himself.

_And that's a perfect match_-he smiled. _It's as if they'd been specially molded for my hands._

_-Olivia-_he didn't know what to say to her yet but she quickly moved away from his touch, placing the plate and some glasses from the sink into the cupboard.

They resonated rather loudly.

_She is really pissed._

_-Look, Olivia. I'm sorry._

-For what?-she finally turned around to face him and there was a hint of hurt on her face which she somehow managed to hide seconds later but not before Peter had noticed it.

-_For not coming to see you sooner._

-It's okay, really-Olivia nodded casually.

-_It's not okay. I just disappeared; vanished into the thin air without explanation._-Peter hoped she was going to smile at his attempt of wordplay and Inviso-man joke; thankfully, she did. –_And I missed you very much_-he leaned forward to whisper into her ear, enjoying the way a runaway lock of her hair tickled his cheek as he was doing so. –_I thought about you a lot. But I couldn't come. I…-_the cogs in his brain whirred frantically. _–I was busy with another important discovery. The one I thought might help me to regain visibility._

-Oh-Olivia suddenly felt very guilty.

_Here I am, scowling, looking all sullen, and he was truly preoccupied with something of vital importance as far as his future life is concerned. _–Did it work?

A small chuckle coming from his direction reminded her how silly she could be sometimes.

-_Obviously… No._

-I'm sorry for… Being a bit… Difficult and… Callous towards you-Olivia whispered in regret.

_-That's all right. One: you couldn't have known. I don't exactly own a cell phone. And two: that way, at least now I know you sulked because you missed me too_-Peter loved the way she blushed after that particular sentence.

He moved instinctively forward to caress her shoulder and her arm, enjoying her closeness again after so long, and reveling in the fact that she didn't shy away this time. _–Sometimes I forget that… You're beautiful and so special. You always are, of course, and that goes without saying but… Apparently… When I don't see you for a long time… That fact strikes me twice as hard. And then I have to articulate it. Like now._

-Thank you-Olivia replied simply, yet timidly. –Listen… Eugene…Are you hungry? There is some Indian food left on the table. I couldn't eat everything so…-she offered generously, wishing to clear out the previous mix-up.

-_I don't… Eat_-he said in an amused tone. _–I can't cook either in case you wondered about that._

-Oh. It's normal you can't eat because you… I understand.-Olivia stuttered.

_Why do I always feel so dim-witted in his presence?_

-_I can't digest food properly and I am more made of energy than of matter anyway. I could, of course, focus on my bowels and make them substantial just for digestion, but then other parts of my digestive tract wouldn't work properly. The food would go right through me. And it wouldn't be a very pleasant sight._

-I'm sorry. It must be really hard for you. Not being able to enjoy the taste of the food.

_-One gets used to everything. It's a miracle… The range of things a human being can go without simply if he or she decides to. But enough about me_-Peter kneaded her buttocks cheekily, tenderly, enjoying their firmness and fullness before he passed onto her thighs. Then Peter let out a sigh of relief when he felt Olivia's head rest on his chest as they were now standing in close embrace.

_She's not angry anymore._

–_What have you been up to while I was gone? Any new cases?_

-No-she replied. –I was mostly resting, jogging, doing some light reading… Playing with Lemondrop. Keeping in shape until something comes up.

_-Have you found a boyfriend?_-he teased her.

-Not that I know of-Olivia chuckled as her palms roamed his back.

-_Good_-Peter whispered possessively and Olivia shook her head, transferring her hands onto his chest.

She loved the feeling of a firm male body pressed tight into hers.

Olivia then vaguely thought of John and his muscular chest and wide back, lying atop of her and covering her body while they made love; that image was somehow replaced by shirtless Peter in beige chino shorts, sitting next to her in the sand, being morose.

She wondered how it would feel to embrace him.

Her arousal, which hadn't subsided ever since she and Astrid left the Bishop's residence, was now getting better of Olivia.

She was actually thinking about pleasuring herself that night just before Eugene showed up.

_Now I guess I don't have to. And having sex with Eugene… Is like doing it with whoever I want to. Because he's invisible. He can be anyone I like_-Olivia reddened at her own horny comment even though it wasn't made out loud.

-Speaking of which, I think I know why you haven't been coming to see me lately. Have you found another girl to replace me?-she teased.

_-That was low. And ultimately unfair_-he complained and then promptly groaned after having felt her palm on his bulky crotch.

_Needless to say, I'm always hard and ready for her. It's just that… I didn't mean for us to do it tonight. I didn't even… Argh_-he moaned as Olivia started massaging him gently.

-How's that for "low"?-she murmured into his ear in a low, lascivious tone of voice.

_Oh, man. _

_Shit._

_This…_

_This is so hot._

_Olivia Dunham taking the initiative._

_Seducing me._

_Or should I say: taking the thing into her own hands._

_Attack mode on._

_She wants me._

_And I…_

_I don't think I can resist her._

Olivia's nimble fingers unbuttoned his jeans and pulled his slick manhood out in the open, still not releasing it from her hands.

She caressed its length and its head as if it were some kind of interesting, loving pet.

But what really made him stare at her open-mouthed and utterly bedazzled was when she took him by his cock and steered him towards her bedroom.

_She…-_droplets of sweat appeared on his forehead.

_She is walking that fine line between kinky and perverted. _

_It's just so not like her at all._

_Either that, or I don't know this side of her._

_And damn, I like it._

_-Look, Olivia_-he muttered once they were safely enveloped in the darkness of her sleeping chamber.

-Eugene-she whispered feverishly. –You said you missed me. Show me how much you missed me. Because if you don't… I might not believe you.

Peter just stood there slaphappy, still not being able to process that sudden change in her behavior.

His hands, thankfully, knew instinctively what to do better than his punch-drunk brain and Olivia gasped in excitement as he ripped the t-shirt off of her in one swift move.

He mercilessly did the same to her bra and she could hear his loud, hastened breathing as his trembling fingers finally locked around her nipples, thumbing them lustfully and recklessly.

_Two fucking weeks._

A deep growl formed in his throat.

Olivia arched her head backwards, enjoying the feeling that intensified with every passing instant.

Then she felt his other palm slide down her taut abdomen and into her panties.

Peter let out a shrill gasp after having sensed how wet she was and she purred in return, as if letting him know he was the culprit for her excitement.

Firmly cupping her ass cheeks with his both hands, he lowered her Daisy Dukes on the floor using nothing but his thumbs and she squirmed in delight.

_Holy mother of…_

_I could just cum here and now simply watching her writhe like this._

_Watching her stand naked in front of me._

_I don't…_

_I don't understand why she… _

_Why her body turns me on so much._

_-Jesus_…-Peter whimpered when Olivia pushed him onto the double bed and straddled him, teasing sparkles illuminating her pupils.

Soon her lips kissed down his neck and along his chest. Peter's moans grew louder as she licked and kissed his nipples.

_God she is desirous._

_-Olivia…_

-Eugene. I can feel you're tired and… Strained… You have been working hard during the last two weeks… Pursuing the solution to your condition. Let me relax you tonight… Let me do all the work. You don't have to do anything-she implored softly, her tone bearing the sigil of the delightful things to come.

_This woman will be the death of me._

When Olivia's tongue licked down his stomach, his entire body twitched in response.

Peter let out a small chuckle which turned into a groan as she clumsily kissed the tip of his member, then tried to encase his entire length with her mouth.

Peter buried his fingers in her golden locks, gasping at the heat and wetness of her tongue against him.

She reached a hand up to awkwardly massage his balls, and he couldn't help but wonder if Olivia had ever done it before and how often.

She confirmed his suspicions when she muttered worriedly:

-Look… I… I didn't really do this much, Eugene… You just… Tell me what feels good and what doesn't.

Those sweet direct words completely threw him off balance and for some reason, Peter felt ashamed for having allowed her to do something like that without even knowing who she was doing it with.

-_Listen…Olivia… You don't have to._

-I only want to make you feel good just like you made me feel good the last time you were at my place-she said plainly, innocently.

-_Come here, then. I… I want to please you too._-he pulled her up into his embrace and rotated her beautiful body, so that her firm backside and her warm, wet pussy were now inches from his lips and her own head was near his shaft.

_69 for the win._

Olivia started suckling on his hard on yet again, surprised with the new position she was placed in and quickly making the best of it.

However, his dick was constantly falling out of her mouth because of his teasing tongue distracting her on the other side.

Peter was devouring her tender rosy button, enjoying the way it engorged rapidly.

He grew to love how readily she responded to him over a short period of time.

His tongue would flick out every now and then, hardened, and Peter used it eagerly to slide it inside her tight honey pot and feast on Olivia's wetness.

His lips trembled, driven wild with lust and the strong scent of her sex as both his palms were rhythmically squeezing her ass.

Peter enjoyed her whimpers and the way Olivia was trying to accommodate herself the best she could on his tongue, rocking on it and obtaining the maximum pleasure.

She stopped pleasing him altogether, though, completely sidetracked by Peter's activities, but he didn't mind it at all.

_I am too hard as it is. _

When he finally felt the rhythmical throbbing in his mouth, Peter realized she had reached her peak and he slowed down his ministrations, allowing her to recover.

-Oh, Eugene…-she meowed, now sitting next to him. –That was so good. But I just wanted to do something nice for you as well. Something that will make you return faster. Fifteen days are a long time.

Then Olivia moved lower on the bed and threw a leg over Peter.

The heat from her entrance was driving his cock wild as she teased it.

Peter moaned as she slowly lowered herself onto his cock, just barely covering the head. She gyrated her hips as she moved her pussy down his shaft. They moaned in unison as his cock slid into her velvety canal and her gorgeous ass came to rest on his lap.

Peter tried to control himself and not thrust up to meet her.

-That's good, Eugene. Let me do the work-Olivia whispered, liking the feeling of being the one in control.

_-Oh, damn. Fuck me. Just…. Fuck me_-Peter pleaded since he couldn't bear her stillness anymore.Her hands were now positioned on top of Peter's thighs for extra support. His own hands found themselves playfully manipulating her gorgeous silky ass.

Olivia thought everything was easy with Eugene. Unlike how it was with Peter. No deep emotions, no strings attached, no problems-just pleasure.

Not like with Peter who was a walking complication and had a huge shadowy past Peter who wouldn't always allow her to help him… Who wouldn't let her in unless she banged on the door.

It was clear to Peter, through Olivia's enthusiasm, that she was seeking to satiate the sexual voracity.

Soon she picked up her pace, bouncing up and down on his cock.

The bed was creaking as she rode it fervently, like a crazed cowgirl riding a wild stallion.

Peter strained against her hands to no avail, he was at her mercy.

His breathing had now become panting as he was getting one of the best fucks of his life.

The warmth of Olivia's juices was covering Peter's balls, giving him even more pleasure.

He loved the way she was taking him in, the way she changed the rhythm while she rode him and he vaguely wondered if Olivia knew how to dance.

_I was with a ballet dancer once but… It wasn't nearly as good as this. _

He was surprised at the fact that she was becoming more and more relaxed during their lovemaking, more willing to let herself go, to experiment along with him.

Peter attributed that to the fact that she couldn't see him.

_Maybe that was what drove away her shyness in the first place._

He tried to lean forward to kiss her breasts; Olivia wouldn't let him at first but she gave in after several pleading grunts he let out.

_-I love your breasts. They are so sensitive, soft, sweet_-he blurted out.

Peter marveled how everything he did with her in bed was with the sole aim to please Olivia.His own satisfaction now became a by-product.

_Not that I need to think of it, seeing how well Olivia is taking care of me._

_Before, I would think more of myself. It's the first time someone else is in the centre of my thoughts since many years ago and that... Scares me. Every time Olivia touches me, looks at me... She's taming me more and more and I grow attached to her with each passing day. It's pretty clear who's winning this fight. In a matter of days, there'll be nothing left for me but to wave the white flag and surrender._

Soon after, Peter couldn't hold back any longer as he lost control. He felt his cock start to surge as she continued her assault on him. His body was spasming as he exploded in her hungry pussy. She moved to lay on top of him, exhausted, and Peter's lips reverently met her breasts.

-_God you're so good. I missed you… I missed this…_

-I missed this too, Eugene…The feeling of you inside me…

_That's not all I missed, Olivia… _-he thought dejectedly.

_And the roles are reversed… Can it be, that after so many years, I am the one who doesn't just crave for the girl's body? _

_But she is. The tables have turned, Bishop. _

_You fell into your own trap. Now that is what I call doublecrossing. _

_Oh well. It's not like Olivia wasn't always able to con me. _

_In any shape or form. In all states of mind. This woman somehow gets the better of me at all times. I expect one thing from her. She does something completely different. How about that? She would be a fairly good poker player if that sort of thing interested her._

-So was I convincing?-she inquired puckishly.

-_Very. You don't know how much._

-Are you going to visit more frequently from now on?-Olivia whispered in an endearing, saucy tone.

_God this is so wrong._

_Starting with the fact that I of all people think it's wrong. Then it must really be devilish._

-_I… I don't know, Olivia. Maybe we… Maybe we shouldn't be doing this after all…-_he muttered.

-Don't you like me anymore?-she fussed with a displeased childlike voice, tugging on his shirt, and he almost kissed her. Peter just wanted to shove the tongue in her mouth and bite her plump lips. Sex didn't feel complete without it.

-_It's not that, dammit. How can you even think something like that?_

-What's the problem then? It's just sex Eugene, you said it so yourself. It took me a while but...I understand your point now. It's not like we feel anything for each other. We're just making one another feel good. I... I used to love a man so much. Maybe you remember... I thought you were him the first time you came to me. I called you by his name. But then I lost him in two ways. He died and he betrayed me. And I... I am not sure if am going to be able to love anyone else like that. I don't even want to think about love right now.

_Yeah…_

_Right._

_Fucking John. It's not like we feel anything for each other-_there was bitterness and anger in his thoughts but those quickly dissipated at the feeling of her palms caressing his arm. _God she is sweet.I would spend days with her in bed, like this, feeling her body, listening to her voice, just… Being with her. Doing nothing else. And I hqve to take what I can get. For as long as I can get it._

-So what'll it be? Are you going to come more often?-Olivia placed her head on his chest and he powerlessly entangled his fingers into her hair.

-_I will come more often-_he sighed in the darkness, responding automatically.

-I want you to promise me-she tenderly rubbed his manhood, teasing him to seal the deal.

-_I promise._


	17. Bufo Alvarius

**OLIVIA's **palms lazily caressed Eugene's chest.

She was securely wrapped up in his embrace, their bodies entwined, as she inhaled his familiar musky smell mingled with the salty sweat.

She yawned and sensed him let out a deep sigh in reaction to that sound.

It was nice to simply lie on top of him like that, rest and revel in the feeling of his fingers roaming around her body, listen to the hastened thumping of his heartbeats which strongly resembled the sound of galloping horse hooves on a rocky road.

She blushed after having recalled what she had done in the reckless, passion-driven moment and then a vague smile illuminated her face when Olivia remembered the hungry way in which he reacted to her, ripping her t-shirt and her bra off of her body.

Olivia loved the way Eugene touched her hair, with tenderness, precision, care and certain melancholy.

She liked his body a lot, she had to admit it.

His well-proportioned chest, his muscular arms, his strong thighs and the fuzzy hair on his legs that just so happened to tickle her at that very moment.

Olivia was sad he prohibited her to touch his face.

She also noticed he had a habit of evading touching hers and it somehow made her feel less close to Eugene.

_Maybe it's better that way. No strings attached._

She thought how glad she was that he stayed a bit longer with her after they'd slept together when a light snoring sound attracted her attention.

_He fell asleep._

Olivia smiled wondering how he looked like when he was sleeping.

She recalled the times when she would lean on her elbow and watch Lucas or John in that deep sleep that would normally instantly overcome men after an extremely passionate love-making.

They both looked at peace, like little boys.

_It is so sad that Eugene can not be visible like the rest of us. I wish he would just let me speak to Walter. Maybe Walter could help him faster than Eugene could find "the antidote" on his own. _

She sighed looking back on the moment when he had specifically asked her not to tell anyone about him.

_Eugene is distrustful of almost everyone and… I guess that is completely normal considering what kind of life he led before having escaped from that horrendous place._

Olivia got a sudden curiosity-driven urge to caress his face while he was sleeping.

_He would never find out I did it._

Then she abruptly changed her mind.

_I made a promise I wouldn't. I prefer him to open up to me spontaneously. Maybe one day he'll allow me to do it of his own volition._

His entire body shivered then, and his right leg twitched twice as Eugene whimpered in his sleep.

_He's having a bad dream._

He reminded Olivia of an old dog their first neighbors had back when she was living with her entire family in Jacksonville. That animal used to kick around while asleep and Olivia was always sorry for him.

She instinctively stilled his leg with her palm and then patted him soothingly. That seemed to do the trick as his breathing became regular once more.

Just as Olivia was starting to doze off as well, a loud buzz of her cell phone startled her out of her drowsiness and she had no other choice than to reach for it.

She felt Eugene slowly stir under her as well, reacting to the sound, and then he suddenly swiftly jumped up from her bed, surprising her.

_It's almost as if… He didn't want this to happen to him. He didn't want to fall asleep next to me._

Before she could ask him what was wrong, the line was established and she answered automatically in a metallic, business-like voice.

-This is Dunham.

Nothing could be heard from the other end of the line during several seconds, just the unpleasant sound of someone's raspy breathing and the chill of premonition crept up her heart.

Olivia's suspicions were confirmed when the sly, conniving voice whispered back to her.

-Hello, dear.

She hung up abruptly and followed Eugene's example, jumping out of the bed and starting to pace around the room, running her fingers through her hair and trembling slightly.

_He… He got my number yet again. But how? How could he… No matter how many times I change it. No matter how often I rent different apartments. He always finds the way to call me… To discover my current address and send me the obligatory yearly postcard._

Olivia wondered where Eugene was. If he was still in the room or if he had gone as secretly as he had come in the first place.

She screamed when she felt a pair of palms encircle her waist and Eugene let go of her immediately, apparently startled by her reaction.

-Eugene! Don't… Creep up like that! I thought… I thought you were gone.

-_I'm sorry if I scared you. I had no idea you were going to react like that. I was planning on leaving just now but I wouldn't have gone without saying goodbye. Also… I could see you were… Distressed. I wanted to ask you what was wrong._

-Sorry, what?-Olivia looked lost for several seconds and then she realized he was referring to a phone call she had just received. –Oh… Nothing, everything's fine…

-_Who was that on the phone just now, Olivia?_-his voice sounded guarded, cautious, questioning, probing.

Protective.

-No one. It was just a… Wrong number.-Olivia wasn't comfortable enough with Eugene yet and she didn't particularly feel the desire to share the story of her unhappy childhood with him.

-_Fine_-he didn't ask her anything else, he didn't insist again, but Olivia wasn't quite sure Eugene believed her in the first place.

Then the phone rang for the second time and Olivia glanced at it in dread.

-_Aren't you going to answer that?_-Eugene inquired and Olivia unexpectedly wished him to just… Go away. And just stop with all that… Cross-examining.

-Of course-she feigned indifference but actually almost exhaled loudly in relief when she saw the familiar phone number of her boss on the display.

She was also a little sad since she sensed there was probably a new case lying in wait.

Not that Olivia didn't want to work again. She was always eager to engage in life-saving activities.

It was just that… On that particular night… She only wished to get back to bed, rest next to Eugene and… Feel safe in his arms.

-Dunham.

-I need you to pick up the others and get to Marlborough airport in an hour. Runway 14. The plane will be waiting.

Eugene was now behind her again. He gently massaged her shoulder blades with care, and that helped her calm down a bit.

Olivia heaved a sigh.

-Does this phone call displease you, agent Dunham?-Broyles's voice was impatient.

_Not as much as the one I had received before yours-_she thought.

-I only… I wish it could wait until tomorrow morning.

-It can't. I'm expecting you and the Bishops at two thirty a.m. sharp.

-So where are we going?

-New York City-he said and then he hung up.

She glanced at the clock on her night-stand. It was almost half past one.

She had to take a quick shower beforehand and that meant she probably wouldn't have time to go get Walter and Peter, especially not now when they lived even further away from the centre…

-_Is it a new case?_-Eugene interrupted her train of thoughts.

-Yes. I'm sorry… Eugene. I… I have to ask you to leave now.

-_That's okay. I was going to go anyway._

-Thank you for… This night. And thank you for being here with me for a while longer. It really meant a lot to me.

_-You're welcome._

-So I'll see you tomorrow? If I am here, that is?

-_Yes_-she heard him sigh a little.

Then he was there no more and Olivia was left on her own with the ominous sound of the wind that was eerily making a branch of a nearby tree knock on her window as an unwanted guest.

She hugged herself a bit before turning on all the lights in her apartment and before heading to the bathroom.

**PETER **was driving like a maniac towards the beach house. He regained visibility at exactly 1.40 p.m. and if he had heard Broyles correctly, they were supposed to be at the airport in under an hour.

Olivia was probably going to call him any minute now, most likely as soon as she came out from the bathroom.

He slowed down a bit, dialed Walter's number and then quickly placed the phone on the seat next to him, resuming his Formula one driving style and ignoring the screeching protests of the unaccustomed old vehicle.

_I don't have the fancy technology similar to the one that Olivia owns in her car so I have to get by somehow. _

_This is hands free in a way, as well._

-Oh… Oh… Stop… Moving… Good-Peter could hear Walter's voice as he presumably smacked his device and he rolled his eyes. –Now… Did I press the correct button? It was the green symbol and I… What am I going to do now?

-Hello, Walter-he mumbled tiredly. His eyes were literally closing on their own accord. –Yes, you pressed the correct button.

-Oh, Peter! It's you! I had no idea I had already answered your call.

-Well now you know.

-Listen to me, my boy. I know that we are wealthier now. We have our own house, which is, if I may say so, significantly bigger than that cramped hotel room where we used to live for so long. But that doesn't mean we are Rockefellers, son, so I don't think it's prudent that you waste money on calling me on the mobile phone. You could have just come into my bedroom and tell me what it was that you needed. Don't be lazy, son… I know, I know, it can sometimes be great and relaxing… But let me tell you, Peter… The failed potential is the worst…

It took all patience Peter could muster to prevent him from lashing out at his father.

-Walter. I'm not even in the house.

-Oh. Then that's a different matter entirely. I apologize, my boy, I had no idea.

-Listen. I'll be there in 20 minutes. You have to get dressed and wait for me in the living room. I'll just take a quick shower, change, and we're going to the airport. There's a new case and… We're flying to Big Apple.

-Oh, no you won't Peter!

-What now?

-I will not fall for the same trick all over again, son…Last time when you told me we won an all expense paid trip to the seaside and that we were travelling there for couple of days, you brought me to our beach house.

-Well guess what, Walter? This time, I'm actually telling the truth. Unless of course, you happen to remember a residence you possess in New York which needs refurnishing.

-I don't think I have a house in New York. Not that I know of. On the other hand, everything's possible.

-I'm glad we got that cleared out. Now please do as you're told. I'll be there soon, OK? See you in a bit-he rapidly pressed the red button on his phone thus ending the conversation which was seriously starting to irritate him.

His cell rang almost instantly, seconds after that, and he saw Olivia's image on the display.

He stopped the car.

-This is Peter Bishop-he tried his damnedest to sound coherent, serious and cool, despite the fact he was on the phone with a woman he had just had sex with.

-Peter, it's me. What's going on? I've called you twice before already and your line was busy-Olivia's tone was mildly irritated.

-I was talking to Walter. Sorry.

-Where are you?

-I'm not at our place. I went out for couple of drinks. I'm on my way home-he replied casually.

Olivia didn't say anything for several seconds and Peter idly wondered if the fact that he had gone out somehow affected her.

Then, finally, she spoke up.

-There has been a new case.

-Okay. I'm listening.

-We're supposed to go to New York. The plane will be waiting for us at Marlborough airport at 2.30. a.m. I was going to come and pick you both up but it turns out I won't have time… Could you, maybe…

-Drive Walter to the airport?

-Yes. And I'm sorry for asking for this from you, I know that it's a bit too much and that normally I am the one who drives you but tonight I…

_Tonight you've had a sex overload, sweetheart. No need to tell me. I know all about it._

-I'm on it.

-You think you can get there till 2.30?

-Sure, no sweat, doll.

-Peter, thank you-she sounded truly grateful. -Then I'll see you in forty-five minutes?

-See you soon, Dunham-he whispered into the receiver huskily before hanging up.

He resumed his driving.

Peter kept his eyes on the road for the next fifteen minutes, as the memory of a haunting, disturbing phone call flashed before his eyes.

_Who called Olivia on the phone? And why the fuck did she seem so terrified?_

**OLIVIA **exhaled in relief when the Walter's old car approached the runway at 2.20 a.m. Broyles was already beginning to cast suspicious glances in her direction.

She smiled after having seen neatly shaved, bleary-eyed Peter and frightened Walter who, as far as Olivia could discern when father and son approached her, apparently smelled of vomit.

-Well it was about time-Broyles stated.

-Ah, good morning to you too-Peter muttered sleepily, frowning at Broyles in displeasure. –And just to make things clear, before you launch your power mode attack at us: I thought you said: 2.30 a.m.? We're ten minutes early.

_So stuff ya_-Peter thought.

-I was beginning to think that you weren't going to show up.

-Well we're here now, so let's hop on our joy ride.

Broyles went inside the plane first, and Olivia leaned over to Peter, inquiring quietly:

-What's wrong with Walter? He looks awful.

-Nah, he's fine. He just vomited in the car.

-My son… A murderer…-Walter trembled, clutching Peter's arm, apparently having trouble standing upright and feeling dizzy. -I didn't dare open my eyes during an entire ride. His heavy foot will cause financial troubles to us. Speeding fines are costly, Peter.

-Peter…-Olivia started, desperately, incredulously.

_I don't really need him to break the law while he's working for the FBI._

-Hey. You said two thirty. I wanted to get here on time. We ran into some trouble on the road. A police car followed us for a while but I shook them off in narrow alleyways. Anyway, my driving motto has always been pedal to the metal. All the time. So it was no biggie.

Olivia stared at him wondering if he was telling the truth and then she decided she didn't really want to know.

Peter smirked.

_That's right, Dunham. Give me some leeway._

-So… Wheels up in ten?-he beamed.

-Yeah-she nodded.

-You know, I've always wanted to say that.

-Why?-Olivia asked softly.

-I like this TV show… It's called "Criminal Minds". Reminds me of "Law and Order", the one I ironically used to love to watch as a kid before I became a criminal.

Amusement sparkled in Olivia's eyes.

-There's this squad boss, Aaron Hotchner who, whenever there's a new case and the team has to fly somewhere, says "Wheels up in thirty". I think it's a cool sentence. Come to think of it, the guy's just like Broyles. Cool, serious, he never smiles. In some aspects though, Hotchner could learn from him. Broyles can be even more uptight.

**ONCE** they were safely aboard the plane, Peter let out a wide yawn.

-God I'm exhausted.

-Don't get too comfortable-Broyles retorted from the back.

He was sitting apart from the trio.

–We're landing in New York in an hour.

Peter gingerly, immediately disobeyed, placing his feet on the empty seat in front of him with a victorious careless sneer and promptly closing his eyes.

Seconds later, he was sound asleep. His head firstly bobbed up and down, sometimes falling back and other times drooping on his chest.

After couple of minutes, it eventually, instinctively leaned on to the right and rested on Walter's shoulder, defeated.

Walter's mouth twitched in a pleasant surprise and then his trembling hand patted his son's head as his fingers caressed Peter's unruly hair.

Olivia, who was sitting next to the window, opposite Walter, flashed a wide smile at that unlikely scene.

She remembered how Peter and her were aboard that very same plane, in September.

They were flying a much longer distance back then. The two of them were coming from Iraq after she successfully managed to trick him and make him follow her across the world.

His demeanor hadn't changed much since that day, Olivia thought.

Peter was still the same gruff, sarcastic, devil-may-care guy as he used to be.

But if someone had told her, seven months ago, that the same man who called his own father myopic, twisted, abusive son of a bitch would lay his head on Walter Bishop's shoulder and rest it there, Olivia would have said it was impossible.

And yet it was happening.

She thought how cute, childlike and innocent Peter seemed as he was slumbering away, his arms crossed in a somewhat defensive manner, his breathing deep and slow.

His unusually clean-shaven cheeks gave him an adolescent, almost boyish look.

Olivia couldn't help but wonder why he was so tired in the first place and then she recalled how Peter told her over the phone that he had gone out for drinks.

_Who was he drinking with?_

That thought waved at her curiously and Olivia tried to ignore its call.

_Why is it that I… Whenever Peter isn't looking at me and when I don't have to focus on our conversation… I analyze him, think about him… I shouldn't care who is he going out with and whether he… He has found someone else._

Unfortunately, Walter noticed her staring and he happily, slowly motioned towards Peter, mindful not to wake him up.

-Isn't my boy handsome, Agent Dunham? Just look at him. A fine male specimen fit for breeding-he muttered.

Olivia blushed heavily, averting her eyes, but Walter was not about to be sidetracked.

-Bless him, he's just like me when I was his age. Oh, and Agent Dunham… You should have seen him when he was a boy, he was even cuter. His hair was blond, completely blond. Peter had a mop of blond curls on his head. And his eyes were light blue, dare I say lighter than they are today… Elizabeth… His mother… She used to call him her little angel.

Olivia smiled against her will, now listening to a mad scientist intently.

Then the conversation took an unexpected turn.

-Peter is well built, tall-Walter whispered conspiratorially. -He's a good cook. A talented musician. IQ at 190 which is 50 points north of genius. Very intelligent. He does not have formal education, alas, because of the lack of commitment… But… He's a know-it-all. He speaks several languages. He's handy. And he's quite big down there, you know. If you are actually looking for a long-term partner whom you'd consider to procreate with… Might I recommend…-Walter motioned towards his sleeping son. -You're exactly what my boy needs. Someone to see right through him.

-Walter. Ugh. Just… Stop-Olivia shook her head, raising her right palm in the air, trying hard not to visualize several suggestive images Walter had just placed in her mind. –That role of a go-between doesn't really suit you.

He sulked like a little child, or like a market merchant who hadn't managed to sell his goods and is now coming home penniless and empty-handed.

Thankfully, Peter's awakening interrupted the awkward situation.

At first he stretched slowly, contently, resembling a giant cat, but then his eyes fell on Walter's fingers entangled in his hair.

-Walter, what the hell? We talked about privacy. Get your hands off of me!

-Well you were the one who leaned on my shoulder first!

-If you recall, you wiped vomit of your mouth with your hands and now you are running them through my hair? I've just had a shower an hour ago!-Peter exploded and Broyles intervened.

-We are about to land. Behave yourselves-he stated courtly.

Peter obeyed angrily, still clenching his fists and pointedly moving away from his father.

Ten minutes later, the plane was already gliding over the runway.

**OLIVIA **hurried towards the indicated place, following Broyles and frowning a bit after having seen the mangled body on the pavement, covered in glass shards.

The rest of the FBI team was already standing in front of the plain looking building.

Charlie came forward to greet her.

-Charlie!-she embraced him momentarily, equally surprised and glad to see him.

Olivia had visited him and his wife just several hours ago and she didn't expect to see her best friend so soon again, especially not in Big Apple. –What are you doing in New York? When did you get here?

-I started working on a regular homicide case so I flew in couple of hours prior to your arrival-he explained in a hoarse voice. –Then this happened. Needless to say, I switched on Broyles's orders and investigated a bit so that I could give all of you a little briefing.

-Who is he?-Olivia motioned sadly towards the deceased man.

-Apparently, someone who gingerly went bungee jumping and somehow forgot to take all the necessary equipment-Peter winced at the numerous lacerations on the body while Walter knelt enthusiastically next to the victim.

-Name is Mark Young-Charlie explained. –He is… Well… He was a young executive, working for the company ExtenzaLife prior to his unfortunate death.

-You don't say-Peter smirked.

-Why, does that tell you anything?-Olivia turned to him.

-Quite a lot, actually. Listen to this.-Peter recited mechanically. -ExtenzaLife is Massive Dynamic's medical and biological sciences subsidiary, which specializes in creating products and services to improve personal health and wellness. As a matter of fact, the ExtenzaLife Corporation was taken over by Massive Dynamic in 2001. And… If I am not mistaken, this guy was a head of a nanosensory monitoring research related with HealthRemote.

-What is this… HealthRemote?-Broyles inquired.

-Oh, I don't think it has anything to do with the case but I'll tell you anyway, since I see you're in a mood for a biology lesson. That is ExtenzaLife's signature health maintenance system. It allows real-time remote monitoring of a patient's health status by healthcare professionals. Nanosensory monitoring research was announced in a November press release which I happened to have read. It named Mark Young as the head of research. That is why I recalled where I'd heard of the guy before. The goal of that research he was doing was to integrate any resulting technology into the HealthRemote line as it became available. The company is also doing bunch of stuff right now, it's very famous, they have a line of self improvement products, such as taste bud training, neurolinguistic programming, preference landscaping and so on and so forth, yadi yada-Peter yawned and smiled in Olivia's direction after having seen the impressed look on her face. –However, there's only one thing you should remember from my soporiferous monologue: the company that guy worked for has ties to Massive Dynamics. That's probably the reason we were called in for this case, even though it only looks like a successfully performed suicide attempt. There's something fishy in Denmark. Maybe someone simply wanted him dead.

-So how did he die?-Olivia turned to Charlie, not wanting to jump into conclusions.

-Apparently, he leapt out of the window of his apartment. Hence the shattered glass.-Charlie said, motioning upwards.

-So he committed suicide?

-That's the thing-Charlie said gruffly. –We don't really know. Me and the boys have been searching his place and we found a plane ticket on his name, to Omaha. He was supposed to board the plane tomorrow afternoon. Mark Young seemingly has a family there and he was planning on visiting them.

-So who buys a costly plane ticket days before killing himself? Fun times-Peter grinned.

-The gashes on the body-Walter muttered. –This poor fellow has compound fractures, massive internal bleeding… But these cuts are what confuses me. Some of them are, no doubt, caused by shards of glass. But there are others which I do not recognize… Under his shirt… Wounds this delicate… They're most unlikely.

-So what do you think caused them?-Olivia inquired impatiently, eager to advance in the case.

-I believe you're probably expecting too much from Walter at the moment-Peter chuckled darkly.

-For once, my son is completely right. It's too early to tell. I'd very much like to examine him in my old lab at Harvard.

- So how soon can we fly back? Come to think of it… This was an interesting flight. One hour to New York, another hour to Boston. For what? For spending ten minutes next to a dead guy who could have been sent to Harvard and we didn't even have to come here-Peter frowned.

-The first and the foremost rule is always to visit the crime scene, Mr. Bishop-Broyles stated, looking at him scornfully.

-And what a short, useless visit it was-Peter glared back. –We could have been in our beds right now. You didn't need us here; like I said, you could've just sent bungee jumper to the lab. The body won't be examined until the morning anyway. So when are we returning, Olivia?-Peter impatiently turned around to find her, only to see Olivia speedily pushing her way through the crowd as if she had lost her mind.

He instinctively started after Olivia, wondering what the hell was wrong with her.

-Olivia, stop-his cold, serious tone of voice sobered her up and Olivia clung to it as to a lifesaver.

He could see she was trembling. Her hands were in her coat pockets and she stared nervously at his chest.

-What's wrong?-receiving no reply, Peter tried again. He wondered if her distress had anything to do with that damned phone call she had received in the middle of the night.

_Well, I can't ask her that, obviously._

-Look at me-he ordered, and when Olivia obeyed, Peter was taken aback with the tears that welled in her eyes.

-Tell me what it is, sweetheart-he said teasingly, in a gentler tone of voice this time, never removing his gaze from her eyes.

-I… I can't-she muttered.

-Why not?

-It's… If I tell you, you… You'll think that I…

-Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure I can handle it. I'm a member of a Freaky Fringe division, remember?

Olivia fidgeted and she was quiet for some time, as if pondering if she should tell him or not.

In the end, Olivia chose to confess Peter what was going on with her.

_Peter opened up to me when we were sitting on the beach. He knew… I would understand, that I would give him an advice. _

_Maybe it's not just that he is the only one in the lab who doesn't know what's happening to me. It's only fair to reciprocate his trust._

-Peter, I… I saw John.

Peter took a deep breath.

_This guy again. _

_Oh, come on._

_Do I have to listen about fucking John Scott twice? _

_Both as Eugene and Peter?_

_Wondrous._

_Oh joy._

-What are you saying?-he inquired urgently.

-I… I saw him.

-You saw him-Peter looked at her half expecting she was joking. –Look… Olivia. I know you've been through a lot. The guy you liked died under weird circumstances. It's only normal that you think of him often… I guess-Peter gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger and his jealousy. –So you probably caught a glimpse of someone who looked just like your dear John and you went running after him, to speak with that person.

-Peter, it's not like that.

-What is it like then, Olivia? Explain it to me, because I sure as hell don't understand.

Olivia sensed that their conversation wasn't going well.

Peter was becoming irritated, impatient and she could somehow feel that he… Didn't really want to talk about John.

-The first time it happened I… I was at home… We had only completed one of our cases, the one with the Observer. I was just grabbing a bowl of cereals when he… I swear it, Peter, he simply appeared in front of me. He greeted me as if-she started biting her lower lip. –As if he had always been there. As if he had never left me. Never betrayed me. Never died. The bowl just… Fell out of my hands. I grabbed my gun. But then he was gone.

-You were under duress, obviously. You were hallucinating. There has to be a rational explanation for that. Your mind…-he sighed. –Wanted to see him so much and that's what happened. It's not an unusual phenomenon.

-I thought the same at first. When I… When I told Charlie…

_She told Charlie. And now she's telling me. Does that mean I am getting a higher level of clearance in Olivia Dunham's records? She's starting to open up to me more? _

_I'm not really sure if that's a good thing._

Olivia went on.

-I knew he was the only one who wouldn't think I'm crazy, who would… Simply listen to me. He's my best friend after all.

-Of course-Peter nodded, focusing his scrutinizing gaze on her and she squirmed a little bit under those piercing blue eyes.

-Charlie told me I should… Behave as if everything was normal. Even try to talk to his "apparition". He thought my mind will fight with it better that way.

-That's one "immersive" manner to handle an illusion-Peter chuckled bitterly. –Kinda like when someone is afraid of fast driving and you tie him up on the back seat and drive as fast as you can, simply to prove him there's no need to chicken out like that. Or, even simpler. A guy has a felinophobia. You lock him up in a room with a cat for couple of hours, make him feed the cat, pet it… That sort of thing. So what did you do?

-We…-she licked her lips and his eyes followed that movement. –We had that case with… The man who could channel electricity and influence electrical devices.

-Yeah. Mr. Meagar-Peter shook his head recalling Walter's inability to remember man's name.

-And I know this will sound strange to you but… While we were still trying to figure out how the elevator crashed… John… Came to me in the hallway of the FBI building, late at night, as I was working on the solution and he… Literally… Helped me solve the case. Or at least put me on the right track.

-That's impossible-Peter started pacing in front of her, which earned them Charlie's, Broyles's and Walter's curious looks. –Olivia. That is not possible. Be reasonable.

-He… He did. He told me we were looking for a person… And that Jacob Fisher was after him too. And we simply had to get to the man first, before Fisher could use him. Then he went away… By using the elevator-Olivia was now speaking quickly, incoherently.

-He used the elevator? Well now I've heard everything.

-That… Made me remember that there were weight sensors in the elevator. That's how I concluded Joseph Meagar, as we later found out his name was… Was the one who walked out of there alive. I think that I… Wouldn't have been able to conclude that on my own.

-On your own? You were on your own. There was no one in the hallway with you. Oh come on, Olivia! Are you even listening to yourself? You're behaving as if that delusion of yours were real!-Peter exploded. –He's dead, Olivia. Don't you understand? He's dead. Long gone and buried. That's how it is. Accept it. Life goes on-he knew he was cruel but he couldn't contain himself anymore.

Not when she… Was talking like that about John. Like he was the most precious person for her in the whole wide world. Not when he was starting to fear for Olivia Dunham's mental health.

She fisted out tears from her eyes.

-Fine. Now I see I shouldn't have told you this in the first place-she turned around to go, disappointed in him, but Peter then quickly stepped in front of her, thus not allowing her to leave the conversation.

-Let me go-she whispered sadly.

-No-he said simply. –I don't want it to be like this for us. I don't want to fight with you, Dunham. I… I'm sorry. Ok? Don't leave. I apologize.

Olivia could see how hard it was for him to mutter those words.

-Look. What can I say? I'm one real fucked up guy. I overreacted, as per usual. I guess I was… I guess I was a little scared-he swallowed.

-I don't understand-Olivia said meekly. –Scared of what?

-Scared for your sanity, Olivia-he uttered under his voice. -But… Anyhoo. I deduce the violent abrupt reactions don't make anyone a happy camper.

-No. No, they don't-she managed a small smile.

-Listen. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me all this. And… I promise I'll hear out the end of your story. Without interrupting you with the usual salve of my curses, swearwords and sardonic smart-ass comments. And you know me well enough to realize how big a sacrifice that is in my case-Peter smirked. –So did you see him for the third time? After those two occurrences?

-Not before tonight.

-Has he called you on the phone for a good old friendly chit chat?-Peter joked but when her face became white as a chalk he realized he actually struck gold.

-He… It happened once. The call couldn't be traced afterwards.

-When? Tonight?-those words flew out of his mouth before he could contain himself and Olivia's face became extremely guarded.

-No… It… It wasn't tonight. It was much before.

_Shit, Bishop._

_Are you insane?_

_Do you want to give game away?_

_And precisely now, in the very moment when Olivia is opening up to you…_

-Okay. Forget that. So what just happened? What happened tonight?-he quickly, skillfully steered the conversation wheel, driving them both away from the road of a dangerous topic.

-I… I spied John in the crowd of the onlookers. He stared at me. I… I instinctively went to him.

-Yeah. I saw you. And let me tell you it looked really weird. So have you… I can't believe I'm actually asking you this and referring to a dead guy who apparently exists only in your head but… Here I go. Have you managed to make contact?

-Yes. He…-Olivia remembered the gentleness with which John's fingers touched her lips but she didn't say that to Peter. –He spoke to me.

-What did he tell you? "Hey, babe. Love ya. See ya soon. Hope you're making fries for dinner." Something along those lines, am I right?-Peter simply couldn't contain himself.

Olivia chuckled despite the strangeness of the conversation they were currently leading.

-You said: no snarky comments.

-Sorry. I guess it's just in my blood.

-He said…-he took a deep breath. –He said: "Bufo Alvarius".

-"Bufo Alvarius". Fantastic. Let's just keep those nonsensical, whimsical words in our mind until they can actually be brought into play and become useful, shall we?

-Peter, listen. I believe that those words are somehow… Connected to this case. Just like the elevator sensors were related to Joseph Meagar's case. They might prove helpful in the future.

-I sincerely doubt it.

-Walter…-Olivia blurted out. –Walter gave me an explanation of what was really going on.

-Walter? Of all people?-the crease between Peter's eyebrows became even deeper when the realization hit him. –He knew? You told him before you told me?-he growled disappointedly.

-He sort of more…. Guessed it on his own.

-Wait a minute. He knew this was going to happen?

-He thought it might occur… As a side effect of my sensory deprivation tank connection with John.

-Fucking son of a bitch, I'll kill him for this!-Peter started towards his father with a murderous gaze in his eyes but Olivia's plead was enough to make him stop dead in his tracks.

-Peter, please. Don't.

He took a deep sigh in order to calm down and turned back to face her.

-Olivia. Sometimes I don't get you at all. Why do you have to be so damn forgiving all the time? The man drugged you, stuck a metal rod in your head and shipped you off to a rusty tank filled with salty water. He even knew that there was a risk of you going crazy. And he still… Allowed you to do it.

-Peter, it was my choice. There was nothing Walter could do to prevent it. He even tried to dissuade me from it for a while.

-For a very short while, as far as I can remember. He seemed pretty thrilled with the prospect of experimenting on someone yet again.

Olivia went on in a calming tone of voice, thinking that if she continued talking about what had transpired, Peter might stop simpering.

A part of her subconsciously enjoyed in Peter's open, undivided attention, his overprotective tone of voice he had never used with her before, and the unmistakable worry mirrored in his eyes.

-Firstly I thought that I… That I was going crazy, because I was still seeing visions of John. I didn't want to consult a psychiatrist because then there would be a psych eval in my record with the FBI and I even wondered if taking a leave to get my wits together would help. Walter noticed that I hadn't seemed myself. I tried… To explain that to him with the fact that I hadn't been sleeping very well. He guessed that I… Had been seeing John.

-How nice of Walter not to remember to mention that to me.

-I asked him not to… Tell anyone of this.

-Fine-Peter nodded, a bit hurt. –Fine.

-Peter, you have to understand me. I didn't know any of you half as well as I know you now.

_My darling, what you know about me now is just the tip of the iceberg. For instance, you have no idea that you've banged me hard couple of hours ago_-Peter almost sighed out loud, cursing his stupidity.

-It… I simply couldn't share it with anyone but Charlie at that time. And Walter kinda realized it by himself so I couldn't really… Wriggle out of that conversation.

-What explanation did he give you?-Peter inquired, crossing his arms.

-He said that… When… I was in the tank with… John… A part of his consciousness crossed over into mine.

-Say what?-Peter's frown was becoming deeper and deeper. –That's bad, Olivia. That's really bad.

-His… Memories, experiences, thoughts… Are inside my head. So whenever we… Stumble upon the case John might have worked on in the past… I somehow… Recognize it… Because he recognizes it inside me. Does that make any sense?-Olivia was now shivering hard, her teeth chattering.

Peter wanted to pull her into his embrace, to comfort her, to tell her that… That everything's gonna be fine. But he couldn't.

He felt so impotent.

_Fucking serum._

-The worst thing is…-he grunted weakly. –That it does. It makes a lot of sense, actually.

-And… And… Walter told me-she clutched her head with her hands. –That… John appeared in front of me… That he talked to me… Because those memories didn't belong in my brain. So my brain…

-Has found the way to expel him-Peter finished the sentence instead of her.

-Yes. Yes-she nodded fervently. –He said that… There was only room for one voice in my head. And that it had to be… Mine.

-So he is slowly "leaving" you? He's going away, I mean?

-Yes-Olivia whispered dolefully.

Peter realized what was going on and resentment blossomed in his chest.

_So…She doesn't want him to leave. _

_Es kocht die Eifersucht._

_Jealousy is cooking, ladies and gentlemen._

He decided not to comment on the expression on Olivia's face.

Peter opted not to tell her that John leaving her mind and her moving on was a good thing.

Because he felt Olivia wasn't ready to hear it yet.

Peter kept it simple instead.

-Look. Olivia. Everything's gonna be fine. Thank you for telling me this. It's always nice to know that lady trusts you. And now… Come on. Let's go join the others. If Broyles's impatient eyes could somehow fire bullets we would be long dead by now. We'll Google your mysterious "Bufo Alvarius" and see where that takes us.-Peter gave her a brief, hesitant, encouraging smile.

Olivia assented, thankful that he had supported her and that hadn't asked her anything else, wordlessly following Peter to the crime scene.


	18. In Times Past

**NEXT **morning, the old lab at Harvard in Kresge building basement, under the university, was buzzing with activity, which would normally happen when the new body was brought in to be examined as if it were some kind of nouvelle attraction.

Walter was standing calmly and expectantly above Mark Young's corpse with an excited glint in his eye, tampering with man's skin and his brain.

Peter thought how that kind of ecstatic behavior didn't suit the grimness of the situation at all, but of course, there was no person in the world who would be able to explain that to his father and he was well aware of that.

_For Walter, this is like a child's play in the sand._

_Let's make a bone and tissue castle instead of sand castle, yay!_

_Something along those lines, anyway._

Astrid was, as usually, extremely patient and helpful.

That, in turn, made Peter wonder whether she was a robot, programmed to always behave nicely; he simply didn't get at all how the hell she was managing to be so enduring with Walter.

_She's really got nerves of steel, that one._

_Which apparently can't be said neither for me nor for Olivia._

Olivia had previously inquired over the phone when the body was supposed to be brought in, and she had been in the lab since early in the morning, pretty much just like the rest of them.

Now she was standing in the close proximity to Walter, looking incredibly edgy and impatient, watching every movement of his father's trembling, but nimble hands.

_When Walter said that he felt normal working, he apparently wasn't lying._

_He even looks kinda non-insane._

_Occasionally._

_In certain moments._

_When viewed from specific angles._

_And under particular light_-Peter grinned.

Everyone was mostly quiet, waiting for Walter to pass the final judgment.

Eventually, the mad scientist looked up and began his exposition.

-The cuts on this young man's body… The delicate wounds… Which I deemed unrecognizable and unlikely… Are indeed very strange. They go clear to the bone.

-Hang on a sec-Peter raised his hand in the air. –What do you mean "clear to the bone"? As if… They had started on the inside? Opened upwards towards the surface?

-That doesn't make any sense-Astrid commented timidly. –How is that even possible?

-That is an excellent question. I do not know yet-Walter stated dejectedly. –But I am very eager to find out. However, I can tell you one thing. After having examined his brain, I could tell that this young man had… Apart from the typical, legal medications… Some kind of… Foreign synthetic compound in his brain.

-So-Peter frowned-seeing how the medications he was using were "normal", let's put it that way… That means they wouldn't have harmed him. But I recall reading how… Sometimes the legal medications can be used as carriers, to transfer other… Compounds to the brain. Maybe that was the case with the compound you found, Walter.

-Excellent point you've just made there, son! Well done.

-What foreign compound?-Olivia was listening intently to both son and the father, trying to make something out of their conversation although it was all Greek to her.

-An artificial compound, an ergoline derivative, Agent Dunham-Walter replied kindly, without noticing how Olivia rolled her eyes and turned around for a second.

-Thank you, Walter, that was most insightful-Peter grinned when he saw the expression on an irritated Olivia's face.

_Walter is actually starting to occasionally make me laugh, instead of merely constantly pissing me off._

-I apologize, Agent Dunham…-Walter rapidly added, having realized the situation. -It means that perhaps the young victim was treated for migraine. But still, it does not explain those wounds.

Olivia suddenly seemed deep in thoughts and Peter went to her immediately, determined to discover what was bugging her.

-What's up? What's on your mind?-he inquired with a whisper.

-Peter… I've just remembered that last night… After we went away from the crime scene and into the plane… We hadn't checked up the meaning of "Bufo Alvarius" on the internet.

-Well you can hardly surf the World Wide Web while you're 30 000 feet in the air, can you? No network coverage.-Peter smirked. –And when we got back to Boston it was already five in the morning, so we all went home to get our beauty three-hour sleep and showed up here "fresh and in a good mood" at eight a.m. sharp. So no wonder it slipped our mind.

-What are you two lovebirds whispering on about?-Walter said good-naturedly.

-"Bufo Alvarius", Walter-Peter retorted, mildly annoyed. –Ring any bells? We wanted to google it but if you already happen to know what it means… It would be even more helpful and it would save us the time and the trouble we'd have to go through otherwise.

-That is not a romantic topic at all. Why would you choose something like that to talk about with Agent Dunham?

-Hey, don't blame me. I didn't start it, her dead boyfriend did-Peter chuckled and earned a furious glare from Olivia.

-Agent Scott?-Walter joined his palms and Astrid gasped a little. –You have been… Seeing him again?-he inquired mildly.

-Yeah, imagine this, they chit-chatted in the New York city street just last night. Funny how he happened to be in the same town as she was and at the exact same time. It's a small world, don't you think?-Peter commented sardonically. –And you know what else is funny, Walter? That you didn't remember to mention that, as a consequence of her tank-bathing, Olivia now has Agent Scott's memories, experiences and thoughts stuck in her brain. Memories which have a tendency of wandering away and materializing in front of her in the shape of the aforementioned bulky, square-jawed, handsome agent.

-Peter!-Olivia snapped at him.

-What, Olivia? Don't play coy now. I'm merely saying out loud what all of us here already know. Although, technically, I was the last one to be introduced into the sacred order. I found out just six hours ago, which is, I assume, much later than the others.

-I didn't know anything about it either-Astrid spoke up slowly, raising her hand and Peter froze for a second, realizing that he might have just spilt the beans in front of Astrid and that Olivia might not have wanted that to happen.

-Look-Olivia muttered resignedly. –What's done is done. I know Astrid can be discrete. So… It's fine, really-she sighed, tiredly.

-My son, the blabbermouth.

-What, Walter? I just assumed Astrid knew what was going on as well.

-It was a private thing between me and Agent Dunham-Walter insisted. –But now that you've "let the cat out of the bag", as you youngsters say…

-Okay-Peter turned to Olivia, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably. –Sorry, boss.

-It doesn't matter now-Olivia said coldly. –I only want us to focus on the case. Walter… When we mentioned "Bufo Alvarius" to you… You said it wouldn't be a very romantic conversation topic. So you know what "Bufo Alvarius" means?

-Indeed I do-he assented with his head. –And so do you, Peter.

-Me? Don't presume that you know what's going on in my brain, Walter. I've no idea what it is. Although, if I visit Google, I believe I'll find out in less than a minute.

-You don't have to go anywhere and visit anyone else, my son, I will resolve the puzzle for you. Bufo Alvarius is the Colorado River toad.

Peter burst out laughing.

-What? Really? Also known as the Sonoran Desert toad? That's it's Latin name? I should have remembered, I guess, because of bufotenin but… It hadn't really crossed my mind.

-A toad?-Olivia stared at both of them.

-Yeah, listen to this. It's not just any toad, though, it's a psychoactive toad. Super frog-Peter chortled. –Its… Um… Skin and venom contain 5-methoxy-N dimethyltryptamine which is a… Type of bufotenin, a powerful psychedelic. They also secrete bufotoxins-Peter explained.

-Wait, there are toads that secrete psychedelic substances?-Astrid inquired.

-Sure, I don't understand how you haven't heard of them. The substance is in their poison glands so, um… To obtain it… You have to milk the toad-Peter cracked up once again.

-Ugh, that's just…-Olivia waved off his comment.

-Oh no, nothing to worry about, Agent Dunham, it doesn't harm them at all-Walter said.

-Walter…-Peter just couldn't stop laughing. –I don't think that Olivia was exactly preoccupied about the toad's health; she was simply grossed out. But Walter's right, Olivia, if you ever wish to milk the toad, you just have to stroke the animal for a bit under its chin to initiate the defensive poison response. Easy-breezy. It's a piece of cake.

-Really?-she smiled at him, shaking her head. –Thank you for that useful information.

-Anytime, doll. So, while I'm here, I might as well explain the entire course of action. You see, once the liquid toxin has been collected and dried, it can be used for its psychedelic effects. Oh, and the toad takes about a month to refill its poison glands following the milking procedure, during which time it will not produce poison. There are some vendors who sell dried toad skins, even though it is possible to harvest the poison without harming the toad.

-You seem to know quite a lot on this matter-Olivia said suspiciously. –Did you read it in a book as well? Just like you read the fact that cows are ideal test subjects?

-Not exactly-Peter muttered, turning away, and Walter jumped in, eager to fill in the holes his son might have left during his explanation.

-In the 1970s, the poison was often used for recreational purposes. Groups of "hippies," some including teenagers, were licking the psychoactive toads to "get high". One version of the story has hippies in the hills of California chasing toads through the woods in order to obtain the psychoactive substance from them. Reportedly, some dogs in Australia, where the toads have become a major pest, have learned to lick the toads for pleasure.

-Yuck-Astrid made a face.

-There is more-Walter went on. -Albert Most, founder of the Church of the Toad of Light…

-I'm sorry, what?-Peter's stomach began to hurt from so much uncontrollable laughter. –The Church of the Toad of Light? Really? Now I've heard everything.

-Yes, Peter, Albert Most was also a proponent of recreational use of Bufo Alvarius poison, he even published a booklet titled "Bufo Alvarius: The Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert" in 1983 which explained how to extract and smoke the secretions.

-Alright, that's enough-Olivia was trying to put on a straight face. –So basically, what you are saying is that… These toads secrete certain psychedelic substances, some psychoactive compounds. But are those substances dangerous?

-Not in small quantities, no. But… They could be properly tailored in order to make them become a powerful hallucinogen. The modified version of it directly affects the fear center of the brain.

-You mean… It could make people hallucinate? Imagine things that aren't really happening?

-Yes, Agent Dunham… Are you familiar with the principle of psychophysiologic effects, Afro?-Walter asked his lab assistant gingery, inquiring an answer as if he were questioning a student in an exam.

-Yes, um, it's the mind over matter principle, I think?

-Indeed. It's the ability of the mind to produce physical effects in the body. I did an experiment many years ago, in which a man whom I hypnotized believed an ice cube was burning him - and this thought, this belief… Produced real blisters on his skin.

-So you're thinking… What?-Peter motioned towards Mark Young's body. -He imagined the cuts and his brain made them real? That's why they originated from the inside? They were self-inflicted by his mind?

Walter nodded sadly. –But this is only a hypothesis. In a couple of minutes… When I analyze the compound more detailedly, and when I am able to confirm if it's really the one secreted by these particular toads… I will tell you if it's a correct assumption.

-Walter…-Olivia said with a whisper. –If you discover that it is… It will mean that John was right.

-Yes-Walter said shortly, quietly, now turning to his work and asking Astrid to assist him.

-You mean… That John's memory in your brain was right?-Peter corrected Olivia sardonically.

-In whichever way you put it, Peter… John might have had insight in this case before.

-So?-Peter shrugged.

-If… If his memories are trapped in my mind… Maybe I can get them out… Make use of them. If they are lodged deep inside my brain… Walter might be able to bring those repressed alien memories to the surface and pick the exact memory I need in order to… Solve this case. Just like… Just like he did when we needed to see the face of the man who attacked John in front of the warehouse… And… Just like Walter did with you three weeks ago when… When you couldn't remember the answer Joseph Smith gave you, the answer I needed to save Michel Loeb.

-Okay. You want to get back into the sensory deprivation tank, is that it?

-I need to do it-she pursed her lips challengingly.

-Olivia…-Peter almost grabbed her by the shoulders, feeling the fury boiling inside him, wishing to shake her like a ragged doll, to put some sense into her, when he remembered he should avoid physical contact with Olivia altogether.

He turned around, powerless, tightening his lips, gritting his teeth. –Don't you realize-he spat-how dangerous, how reckless that is? Besides, we don't even know if the compound…

-I must say, regrettably, that… Mr. Scott's memory was right-Walter interrupted them.

-You've got it already?-Peter was surprised.

-You underestimate me, son… It was merely a question of extracting the substance and comparing its chemical composition with the chemical composition of a psychedelic that Bufo Alvarius secrete. It is a perfect match.

Olivia's eyes widened.

-The synthetic compound in Young's brain… Is the very same psychedelic substance secreted by the toads?-she reiterated Walter's conclusion like an echo.

-Exactly right, Agent Dunham. That's what I've just said. Might I add that the apparition of your late friend has helped us to advance in the case mere hours after a body has been found? I am not certain I would have recognized the compound on my own, even after I have extracted its chemical composition, especially not since it had been altered in such a way.

Peter was now standing apart from the group, by the window, breathing heavily, still angry with Olivia.

_She would reject her own life just to go and have a chit chat with a dead guy. _

_I know she's blond but… How thick can you get?_

_Is she really willing to die for a piece of information?_

_But then again I…_-droplets of sweat appeared on his forehead.

_I did the same when she needed the info from Joseph Smith, which was hidden in my head. _

_No… That was different. _

_I didn't really care much about my life._

_And… I did it for Olivia._

_I owed her because I promised her I would get that information._

_Olivia might just as well be the only person whom I would keep my promise to._

_Because she was the only person in my life who hadn't done me any wrong so far._

_I remember that I thought… "Let me be man of my word for once". _

_However, Olivia… _

_She is doing this only for her job. _

_Sure… Risky-people-lives-saving job, but merely a job nonetheless…_

-I am sorry, altered… How?-Olivia's soft voice interrupted Peter's train of thoughts.

-The potency of the dose that I found in this man's blood was at least thirty times higher than the one that any sane person would ingest. Which suggests… That someone else gave him the drugs. A very clever means of murder, if I may say so.

-He… He was murdered?-Astrid asked shockingly, appalled.

-Yes… Isn't it obvious, Asteroid? Although he technically committed suicide since the wounds were self inflicted… But he most certainly didn't ingest the compound by himself.

-This… This means that… If he was right about Bufo Alvarius… John knows a lot more about this case… He might even be able to tell us… To show us… Who killed Mark Young and why-Olivia got all excited.

Peter turned around in disbelief at that reaction of hers, very irritated, but still making no comment.

-Indeed, Agent Dunham… Too bad you can't really control the time and place of the visualization of your colleague's memories… Agent Scott's past experience would be most useful in this case-Walter stated.

-Walter-she now stood in front of him, making him look her in the eyes. –You said that his memories were trapped inside my head. Like fragments or… Snapshots… In my mind. My work on this case must have been a trigger to some knowledge John had-her tone of voice became low, hypnotizing and Walter eagerly nodded, now following her every word.

_She's astutely playing a scientific approach tune, trying to make him intrigued and Walter's clearly falling for it_-Peter thought angrily.

-Alright, you two, just… Stop. Wherever this is going, it's wrong-Peter stood between them now, determined to snap them out of their trance and managing to do so.

-Walter-Olivia insisted yet again; she sounded decisive even though she could see Walter was now positively avoiding her intent stare. –Put me back in the tank.

-Agent Dunham… The risk of physical, not to mention mental damage it might cause could be catastrophic.

-Thank you. Finally something that we agree on, Walter.-Peter sighed in relief.

-Walter. I want to do it-Olivia ignored Peter's reaction and her tone of voice changed into a pleading one –I need to do it. I need to go back in. Into the tank. There are too many questions. Who's working for whom? Why? Who should be arrested in this case? Who's plotting what? If… If John had the answers… And the answers are still in his memory, which means they're in mine… Please, Walter. I need to get those answers. We're only wasting time debating about it.

-It's dangerous-Walter resumed shaking his head, throwing a glance in his son's direction and suddenly realizing how upset Peter was.

-I am prepared to take that risk-Olivia replied stubbornly.

-There is little that makes me happier than taking drugs-Walter said cautiously, sadly, as if he were talking to a small child. -Maybe administering them and… Carrying out experiments that bend the plane of what we consider reality. I am rarely, if ever opposed to such things, except now. I am telling you, Agent Dunham, you will only damage yourself. Once was bad enough. Every time you go back in, the risk of permanent damage, seizures, aneurisms, memory loss, death… Exponentially increases.

-But if I don't go back in… Maybe Mark Young was just the beginning. Others may die.

-And if you do… The death could be yours. I am telling you this as if you were my own daughter. I would never let Peter go back in there, not for anything in the world. There are absolutely no guarantees that you will retrieve the memories you're looking for. And remember that now… Since your partner is dead… There can be no interaction with him. You can't just ask, like before, when you inquired that he showed you the face of the culprit. So that makes things even more difficult. Give me some time, Agent Dunham. I will try to… Develop a safer technique… In a day… Or two… You might have the very answer you're looking for… Only coming from a different source-Walter was obviously holding his ground.

Olivia banged her fist on the table impatiently.

-We don't have that kind of time!

-I refuse to participate in an experiment that might perpetually bring you harm-Walter said. –And that is my final decision.

Olivia's normally calm and pleasant demeanor slowly changed and her face contorted in an all - consuming anger; her nostrils flared, her eyes flashed and closed into slits.

She said nothing, eventually and she simply left the lab, disappointed, heading directly into her office.

-Walter-Peter placed a hand on his father's shoulder.

-I upset her, didn't I?-Walter stared worriedly after the blond FBI agent.

-But you did it for Olivia's own good. I am very proud of you and of the way you defended your cause.

-Thank you, son. That means a lot to me, coming from you.

-I'm gonna go talk to her-Peter stated, frowning, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets and heading off towards Olivia's improvised office as well seconds later.

**WHEN **Peter entered the small, cramped room, he found Olivia standing in the middle of the office, her back turned to the door.

-Olivia-he said calmly.

-What do you want, Peter?-her voice sounded tired, defeated.

-Only to tell you there must be another way. We'll find whoever did this.

-I don't really see how-she finally faced him.

_She's crying again. _

_Olivia might just be nearing an emotional breakdown. _

-Well there's always something else. I'm confident that something will come up-he gulped uncomfortably.

_I can't stand when chicks shed tears. _

_It somehow always gets to me. I wonder if it's the same with all men._

-I can't… Just wait… Sit around… And look at Walter, hoping that he'll come up with something else, Peter. I need to feel useful, to… Do something. We were on the right track. John's memories gave us a lead. Who's to say there isn't more where that came from?

-I agree-Peter stated guardedly, reluctantly. –But the way in which you'd have to obtain "more" is the way I disagree with.

-You mean, the side effects Walter was mentioning. I am sure that they can be avoided; he just won't tell me so.

-Yes, I do believe they can… With careful planning and preparation, monitoring your vitals, initially reducing the drug dosage and then slowly, gradually increasing it so that you don't go into a catatonic stupor while you're having a bath in a salty swimming pool…

-Peter!-her eyes flashed enthusiastically and suddenly, he didn't like it.

Peter didn't like that at all.

-What is it?-he grunted cautiously.

-If… If Walter doesn't want to put me back in the tank… You could do it!

-No-a single monosyllabic word was coldly whispered from his mouth as Peter turned his back to Olivia.

-Yes, you… You and Astrid… You had seen how Walter made the preparations when I was entering the tank for the first time. You know how the procedure goes. And Astrid has done it twice already. Her second time was when you entered the tank. You two should be enough… I could make it even without Walter. And nothing would happen to me. I just know it. I fully trust you, Peter-she whispered into his ear from behind, causing goosebumps to appear on his skin and making him tremble slightly.

_Now this was a perfect example of psychophysiologic effect Walter was explaining minutes earlier_-Peter thought sarcastically.

-What are you asking me to… No! Absolutely not!

-Peter…

-Olivia! I will not participate in your murder! Do you understand? I will not… I don't want to kill you. Don't you realize how dangerous this is? This… This is unbelievable. This is insane. You're insane!

-Peter, please. Come on…-she batted her eyelashes -Nothing will happen to me. I will be in good hands-Olivia innocently widened her eyes, looking like a little girl and an incredulous amused snort escaped his lips, as Peter was taking in the facial expression he had never seen on Olivia's face before.

_This is nothing like her so I take it that she's faking it to bring me down._

_Sly little temptress._

_But dang she's cute. _

_She knows her seduction ABC. _

_She obviously had never used this flirty demeanor with me before but still…_

-Olivia…

-Peter, it would mean to me a lot. I would be really grateful to you-she said softly.

Peter almost inquired saucily just how grateful she really would be to him but he stopped himself on time.

_That's not what she meant, dumbass. _

_And it's not like I need it, I will get that kind of gratitude from her for free every night from now on, as Eugene, without even having to do something for Olivia Dunham in return._

-You mean, you would be really grateful if you somehow miraculously stayed alive.

-Peter, I understand that you are worried. But nothing will happen to me. I believe in you. I know you can do it. I want us to solve this case together, Peter.

-At what cost, Olivia? Just… Think about what you're saying.

-Please… This means so much to me, Peter. I need to see John… To ask him… So many things. I beg you… You're the only one who can do it besides Walter and I… I have no one else to turn to. I need to save those people. That's what I live for. If that were to be taken away from me, just the shell of a person would remain. I would feel so useless knowing that I could have done something to prevent future deaths and that I didn't.-tears started dripping from her eyes at the same rate as Olivia was angrily wiping them away, furious with herself for being so weak in front of Peter yet again.

_And here we go. _

_Crying mode on. _

_I think I'm losing this battle._

_I just can't say no to her._

_Fuck._

_No other girl has been able to do this to me._

_To make me do her bidding no matter how much I oppose to it._

_I hate the influence Olivia has on me._

_Not to mention that I hate the fact I have no idea where and when she'd obtained it._

_God, I feel like a parent with a spoiled child._

_I know that what she wants is not good for her._

_But she just turns her little head in my direction and looks at me with those pleading eyes and I… I'm a goner. _

_I'd do everything she asked of me._

_Shit._

_No one can know that. _

_She can't know that. _

_Olivia can never know that._

_Even if I budge…_

_I will have to budge with a style._

-We might be able to make a deal yet, Dunham-Peter said in a businesslike tone of voice.

-I'm listening-Olivia's tone promptly obtained that professional nuance it always used to have and Peter had to compliment her inwardly on a swift transformation.

-If I were to agree on your proposal… I want something in return-he said coldly.

-What is it that you want?-she sounded direct, serious.

-A pay raise for me and Astrid. Killing our boss and serving a lifetime in prison after that particularly reckless act is not really what I had in mind when I applied for this job, and I am certain that neither did she.

-Ten percent.

-That's a robbery, Dunham, and you know it. We earn like what? Less than two thousand dollars now? Ten percent would be a 160 dollars pay raise. No way. Thirty.

-Fifteen-she was adamant.

-Twenty five.

-Twenty and that's because I'm feeling generous today, Bishop.

-Done-Peter said.

-Done?-there was a hint of surprise in her voice.

-Done-Peter said haughtily, as his heart was beating crazily in regret.

_I must be out of my mind._

_Well, at least now she thinks I'm doing it for money._

_Not sure how good that is. _

_I've just left the wrong impression on Olivia, showing her that I am nothing but a common crook who'd sell himself and his beliefs for some extra cash._

_Way to go, Bishop._

-Good-she exhaled in relief.

-Just one thing Olivia, so that we're clear. How exactly are you planning to do this without Walter's approval? He has to remain with us in the lab. When it comes to controlling Walter, it's either me or Astrid who have the remote. And we both have to stay here. So who's gonna get him out of here? Broyles and Charlie would definitely never agree. And…You can't exactly strap Walter to a chair and let him scream his lungs out in protest as we are engaging on Olivia Dunham killing spree. It would also lessen your concentration while you're in the tank and increase the risk altogether.

-Maybe you could put him to sleep? Just… Temporarily-she looked at him apologetically.

-Say what?-Peter stared at her in disbelief.

-You could see what you could do. Administer a sedative… It… It wouldn't harm him, he'd just… Fall asleep, right? And the procedure lasts less than an hour, as I remember… So… When Walter wakes up…

-Either he finds a lab full of grinning people who pretend that they don't have a clue how the heck did he fall asleep in the first place… Or… He finds me and Astrid standing over your dead body.

-I'm sure everything's gonna be fine-she casually waved off his comment and Peter could see Olivia was eager to start. –Peter… Could you bring Astrid in here and explain the plan to her?

Astrid wasn't at all thrilled to hear Olivia's proposal, just as Peter feared.

-Olivia! I can't believe you're willing to go that far… To… Disobey Walter and… Risk your own life just to solve the case. It was different the first time. You went in there to save the man you love-Peter looked away at Astrid's usage of Present Simple-but now… I don't know what to say. And to drug Walter? You two are out of your mind.

-That's the part I actually like. Give him his own medicine-Peter chuckled and then a dark shadow passed across his face. –It's the only part I like, really. Fun times in the lab. Before the true carnage begins.

-Are you guys insane?-Astrid whispered incredulously. –And Peter… I… I honestly don't understand how Olivia even put you up to this.

-She promised me… Us… A significant pay raise. Twenty percent, Farnsworth. Imagine the impossibilities.

-A pay raise? You're a sell-out. How can that be more important than Olivia's life?

-Business before pleasure. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Astrid. Olivia here apparently believes in us so… Why don't we just do her bidding? No one could blame us for the eventual unfortunate consequences-he managed an extremely false smug smile, swallowing hard. –And don't you just wish you could get back at Walter for that unpleasant, unexpected neck-stabbing several months ago? Well now you have the chance. Besides, Walter's gonna be fine. He loves drugs. Although… We might have to administer a significantly higher dosage to him than the one he gave you, Astrid. I think by now Walter has developed a pretty high tolerance to the different brands of various drugs and medicaments.

-Now why doesn't that surprise me?-Olivia sighed.

-Okay, so here's the plan...-Peter whispered conspiratorially…

**FIVE **minutes later, the trio went out of the office.

Walter was sitting on a stool, milking Gene and humming a jovial tune.

-Walter, my man! What's up? What are you doing?-Peter asked loudly, with a wide, pleasant smile, approaching his father.

-I'm waiting for you three, and obviously, I am doing her a favor.

_This is going to be easier than I thought-_Peter sighed inwardly.

Astrid had already had the syringe with the sedative prepared.

-That's nice, Walter. Hey, Astrid, have you ever seen Walter milk Gene?

-I see it every morning-she rolled her eyes.

-I know, me too, horrorstruck and from afar, but I mean… From up close?-Peter winked at her and Astrid finally understood what he wanted from her.

-Oh! Um… No… Not really… Never…-Astrid approached them holding an injection.

-Well that could be very educational for you, Afro, very educational indeed. Come, come and see how it's done!-he turned towards Astrid enthusiastically. –Now… First, you can wash the udders if you like… I always do it before I milk her, it helps Gene relax…-Walter suddenly stopped talking as his body momentarily shivered and then stilled.

He promptly fell from the stool and into the hay.

Astrid slowly took the syringe out of Walter's neck, shaking her head disapprovingly.

-I still can't believe we did this.

-Come on, Astrid! You're seriously telling me you didn't think "Take that!"? Not even for a sec? Retaliation mode on? No?-he smiled when she shook her head at him.

-Sorry, old man-Peter then whispered into Walter's ear and carefully dragged him away into the back room.

-He should be out for an hour or so but I locked the door just in case. If Walter somehow wakes up sooner and starts banging at it and shouting… Well…Astrid will then go inside and calm him down, as I finish guiding Olivia out of her subconsciousness-Peter informed Olivia and Astrid when he got back. –So let's get down to business. Astrid… You'll help me synthesize the drug mix and Olivia… Well, you don't have to do anything just yet. I'll tell you when the time comes for you to strip to your underwear-Peter grinned at her saucily. –As a matter of fact, you can do it immediately while you're waiting, you know… Cause it would most certainly be an interesting incentive for the work I'm doing.

-Twenty percent pay raise should be enough incentive for you, Bishop-Olivia managed a small smile even though she was extremely nervous.

-Yeah… I guess-Peter sighed faux-disappointedly and that friendly attempt of flirting and calming her down was something Olivia truly appreciated.

That was exactly what she needed… Someone constantly joking around, talking about trivial, mundane things, masking the fact how dangerous this undertaking was, relaxing her just before she was going to delve into the deep murky waters of her mind.

When everything was done, Olivia stripped and Peter averted his eyes from that tantalizing view.

_Not a good moment for my dick to harden._

_It would only make me think with my lower head which I… _

_Most certainly shouldn't do right now if I want to keep Olivia alive._

He stood by the computer monitors doing the last calculations, and then he turned to Astrid.

-Astrid… Please place the electrodes on Olivia's temples and put that jabbing thing in her neck. Then you can administer the drugs and help Olivia get inside. I'll guide her once she goes to the land down under. And just for the record… I didn't mean Australia-he tried joking but his voice was trembling so much that Peter eventually shut up.

_Crap and we're doing this without Walter._

_Sure, I remember exactly what needs to be done but…_

_Will my memory be enough?_

Olivia was somewhat disappointed that Peter had robbed her of a pleasure of his soothing contact.

She couldn't even recall anymore how it felt when Peter touched her in a calming and gentle way, while he was accommodating her on that same chair many months ago.

How his palms felt on her body.

Olivia had to hand it to Astrid, though…

Astrid was significantly gentler with her than Walter was, as she almost imperceptibly placed the needle with the electric charge in Olivia's neck. It didn't hurt at all.

-Peter… How long do you think this is going to take?-Olivia looked around, searching for his tall figure instinctively, needing him to reassure her.

Peter turned away from the monitor, averting his eyes from the computer screen, in order to stare at both Olivia and Astrid below him, in the other part of the lab.

When he answered her, Olivia thought that Peter sounded so different, so… Frightened.

_As if it weren't his voice at all._

-Not very long… Under an hour, I think… But… I guess it depends on what you encounter once you're inside, Olivia. What you are asking me to do is to… Push the boundaries of all that's real and possible. We're not exactly baking a pie, you know? This is some serious stuff. And those are really the words Walter normally uses, not mine… So… Imagine how far I must be gone when I am actually quoting my own father. That means that shit has really hit the fan-Peter managed a nervous chuckle. –Look, Olivia. When you are in the tank… You must listen to my voice at all times. Got that, doll?

-Got it-she nodded with a smile.

-You have to do exactly what I tell you, okay? That's of vital importance. Now I know you love being the big girl, the dominant lady boss and that you don't like to follow orders all that much but… I'll be your master for an hour, Dunham. I say, you obey. Kinky-Peter grinned dryly.

-Fine-she chuckled tensely.

-By putting you into a state of deep hypnosis and by giving you a substantial dose of psychoactive drugs, Astrid and I will be able to help you to access those alien memories that your mind has repressed. So you're stuck with me, Olivia. My voice will be your guide. It is also going to be your only connection to reality. You've gotta focus on it or… You… May risk to get lost in your own memories. I've been there… Done it… I was almost too far gone-he closed his eyes for a moment. –We must make sure that doesn't happen to you. Now… Astrid-Peter swallowed yet again. –Would you administer the drugs and get Olivia in the tank, please?

Astrid did like Peter told her as she whispered worriedly into Olivia's ear:

-Are you sure about going through all this again?

-All I want is to stop the person who's doing this. To stop the murderer. I am willing to take the risk. If… If John's memories can do some good… Then I at least wasn't deceived for nothing-Olivia replied, lying down in the lukewarm salty water.

-Okay, Olivia-Peter cleared his throat nervously. –You will begin to feel sleepy. You've gotta focus on the name of the man whom you seek information from. So… Try and focus on John. Soon you should be able to find yourself in a familiar place, in your memory… And… Look for John there.

Several minutes had passed and then Peter decided that the drugs had probably started to take effect.

-Olivia… Can you hear me?-he said strongly, reassuringly, reaching out for her.

-Yes-her voice was thin, dim and weak, resembling a transparent, light gray fog on a misty summer morning, a fog that was easily going to be dissipated.

It seemed as if Olivia was in a shadow land, somewhere far far away.

It scared Peter to death.

-Good… It's good, then…-Peter feverishly recalled Walter's gradual hypnosis technique and then he spoke up again, licking his lips. –There are some… Stairs in front of you, Olivia. Can you see them?

-Yes-she replied meekly, obediently.

_God she sounds so sweet, so vulnerable, so susceptible._

_Why the hell did I let her do this?_

_Focus Bishop, damn it! _

_Focus!_

-You will climb up those stairs in five, four, three, two, one… Now. Have you done so?

-I have.

-Good girl. Now… Look around. What do you see?

-I can see a red door in front of me.

-Okay. That's swell. Can you, um… Can you open the door, Olivia? Try and open that door for me.

He was positively sweating now and Astrid began to be afraid.

_Peter is incredibly nervous and we have just started. _

_Walter was able to guide her through in a much calmer fashion._

-I have-Olivia answered and Peter could sense her voice was scared. –I… I'm inside now.

-Where are you? What do you see?

-I see nothing… Just… Strong lights.

-Listen to me carefully. Apart from my voice…. What else do you hear?

-Someone is crying. A woman. I… I think it's my mom-Olivia almost sobbed and Peter gripped the table so firmly that Astrid thought he was surely going to break it.

She wasn't used to this kind of Peter's reaction to… Anything. Really.

He was normally cool, sarcastic and rude. And nothing but.

_No one should be put through this_-Peter thought furiously, remembering how hard it was for him to listen when his own mother had cried.

When Walter got locked up.

_No one should be forced to relive their own terrible memories. _

_Although, there is some good in this too._

_That particular memory must mean that Olivia went pretty deep into her subconsciousness, where all the repressed memories lie. _

_That kind of memory is simply not something that would lie on the surface of Olivia's mind, ripe for anyone's prying and taking. _

Peter vividly recalled his own personal hell, a strange place in the middle of the lake he'd stumbled upon when he entered the tank for the first time.

A place that was somehow related to his past.

_Could it be that Olivia is in her childhood home? _

_A place where she lived in times past?_

-Olivia. What else do you hear?

-A man shouting.

Peter sighed, pretty much certain he knew what the scene was about.

_Why does she immediately have to stumble upon the ugliest memory in her head?_

_At least mine began nicely._

_I was able to revisit a fishing trip I went on with Walter and Elizabeth._

_Though I recall how my luck positively changed when gills started growing on my neck._

-You should be able to see something by now, Olivia. Can you… Can you see anything?

-Yes, I… I am in a dark hallway.

-Good. That's good, sweetheart-Peter let now honest endearment slip this time without realizing it. –It's gonna be okay.

-Call me sweetheart one more time, I'd really like that-Olivia whispered back and both Peter and Astrid chuckled a bit.

_What a way to defuse the tension, huh? _

_Who knew Olivia had it in her?_-Peter thought.

_Goddamn, she is incredibly brave. _

-It think it's… The upstairs of my childhood home.

_And that is a bingo._

-Describe what you see to me.

-There are five doors… Three doors on the left and two doors on the right. I don't know if I should…-she sounded a bit frightened and hesitant.

-The doors are there for a reason, Olivia. They are the pathways to the compartments of your memory. We will open those doors together, one by one… Let's start with the ones on the left… If you don't like what you see inside… Remember that you are the one in control… You can simply close the door and not enter the room at all. Is that a deal?

-Yes.

-Are you standing in front of the first door?

-I am. I can see a strange symbol carved above them.

-What is it? Maybe, if we can decipher the meaning of the symbol… We might know more about what's waiting for you behind them.

-It's a… It's a seahorse.

-A seahorse?-Astrid and Peter stared at each other, puzzled.

-Yes… I… I don't know what it means.

-A seahorse is a special little animal-Peter started gently-Male seahorses carry the offspring through their gestation and they are the ones which look after the young ones more so… A seahorse is in a way symbol of fatherhood. What you might find and see beyond those doors… Might be related to your father. I think it's safe to… Open them.

- I did it. I opened them. I am standing at the threshold now. _–_I…-her voice got stuck in her throat but then she went on. –I can see my father… I am five. He's with me in the park… We're playing and picking flowers together to take them to my mom. It's one of the most beautiful memories I have of him-she sounded moved and very sad.

-Olivia. I need you to advance to the second door.

He could hear her let out a deep sigh inside the tank.

-Okay. I… I closed the first door and I… I'm now in front of the second door. An apple… Is carved above them.

-In… In Greek mythology-Peter's mind was working really fast. –Apple is a symbol of Discordia, Wrath and Chaos. The symbolistic approach to that picture is that man is born into chaos. It is not… A pleasant symbol. You might find someone very angry behind that door, Olivia. I suggest you check them out briefly, and leave, without lingering in there for too long, unless it's a useful memory which I highly doubt…

-I… I can see my stepfather and me. I am nine. In the kitchen. I am sitting at the table. He… He has just slapped me.

_The abusive, neglectful motherfucker-_Peter could hear that Olivia started to cry silently.

Astrid seemed truly uncomfortable.

-Get out of there, Olivia. Close the door, now.

-He is drunk again… He is telling me that I am worthless piece of… Garbage. Just like my mother. A disappointment. That I… I am no good. I am a mistake.

-You know that's not true, Olivia. Leave that place now. There is no point in dwelling on those dark thoughts.

_Is that why Olivia's trying so hard to prove her worth to the world? _

_Has she subconsciously believed in what he told her way back when?_-he wondered sadly.

-Okay… I… I suppose I'm out. I think I closed the door.

-Good. Good, honey. I believe that you see the pattern here, Olivia-he added softly. –We are revisiting some of your past memories… The events you lived through in times past and… They are somehow chronologically ordered…

Astrid was noticing how Peter's voice was incredibly tender with Olivia and full of relief.

It made her wonder how Walter's reckless, sensitive and moody son really felt about Olivia Dunham.

The only thing Astrid knew was that she had never seen Peter being so kind with anyone else but with her friend and colleague.

-On the third door there is a butterfly but… It… It looks strange.

-Strange how?

-It has… Finger bones for its wings. In the middle of it… There is an image of a Christ on the cross-her voice was shaky and scared.

_God, Olivia's mind is really… Weird. Really fucked up._

_No wonder she's so private, cautious and inclined to build a wall around herself. _

_She is so fragile and vulnerable._

It made him sad for some reason.

It made Peter want to hunt down and kill all the people who embittered her life, who poisoned her innocence.

-The image you see is the symbol for a martyr. So you… Will face a person who has suffered a lot when you open the third door.

-I… I have. It's my mother. She… She is bedridden with cancer… I think I am witnessing the final day of her life. Me and Rach are in there with her… I am fourteen years old. We are… Singing and dancing around the room. She is… Trying hard to look happy… She's waving her hands in the air even though she can't get up and leave the bed. When she moves her arms so fast… They almost seem like butterfly wings, like she is flying… And she is a butterfly, in a way… Because she will live just one day. She only has 24 hours before she… Before her souls flies away from us.

Peter heard Astrid weeping quietly next to him and he gave her a disapproving, mortified look, whispering:

-Astrid. Not you too. I… I can't concentrate if you both…

-I'm sorry, Peter, but this… This is just so sad.

-Olivia-he tried his damnedest to focus back on her.

-My Mom is telling me and Rach how much she loves us. I… Can I stay here, please?-she inquired urgently, desperately. –Can I stay with her at least until she…-Olivia couldn't carry on.

-No, Olivia… You…-Peter was swallowing hard. –We need to continue our search. Your Mom is… She passed away and she… You can't help her anymore. You shouldn't linger on that memory. I know how hard it is but… Think about all those lives you want to save. Think about why you entered the tank in the first place. Maybe beyond the fourth door lies the answer.

-Okay. Okay. Fine-Olivia obeyed but voice became a bit sterner as if she were slightly angry with him for depriving her of the possibility for spending some more time with her mother.

-I am sorry, Olivia. Do you see the door number four? Is there anything on them that would show us what's inside?

-It's… It's a hand.

-A hand?

-Yes.

-What kind of hand, Olivia?

-I don't know, it's just… A human hand, I guess.

-Look harder. There must be something more specific.

-There isn't!-she snapped at him.

-Whoa. Don't get all uppity with me, Dunham-he retorted sternly. –Sheesh. I just asked.

-I'm sorry… You're right… I'm just tired and… Impatient… And what is the point of all this anyway? It's obvious I am lost in the maze of my past, and I am reliving all unpleasant, melancholic memories once more. Memories that have nothing to do with the case. Maybe this trip to the tank is proving useless after all.

-Don't give up. Two more doors to go and…

-Peter… The hand.

-What of it?

-It… It has six fingers.

-And there you were saying it was a regular human hand-Peter managed to chuckle although he was incredibly nervous. –Easy to decipher. The hand with six fingers represents a race different than human race. An alien race. It might be parent race of ours, in all, or in part. But somehow different from us.

-So you're saying what?-she whispered confusedly. –That I will find an alien behind this door?

-It's quite possible. It doesn't have to be an alien, though, it could just be a metaphor for a stranger. Someone you perhaps haven't even met yet, and who will play an important part in your life in days to come.

-I don't… recognize this room. It's a bedroom but… I think I have never been in here before.

-Is… Is John in there?

-No. There is a bed, a nightstand, a lamp and… A child.

-A child?

-Yes, a boy… He is… Sitting on the bed. He's bald-she gasped a little.

-Do you recognize him?

-No… There is some kind of strange device next to the bed.

-Maybe he's sick. A victim of a hallucinogen, drug or something like that.-Peter pondered.

-No… He… He looks fine to me. Maybe too calm and… Quiet… But he doesn't look unwell. Who could he be, Peter? Why would he be inside my head?

-Don't be afraid, Olivia. Relax… Just relax and breathe… I don't think he is related to the case, at least not to this case-Peter laughed a little. –Maybe the boy really is a stranger you will meet in days to come, who knows? At least nothing unpleasant happened to you while you were standing at the threshold, looking at him.

-No. Nothing unpleasant-Olivia replied.

-Let's leave the little guy alone for now and… Turn to the fifth door so that you can…-he tried to sound as calming as possible and Olivia's exciting shout scared him.

-Peter, it's a frog!

-What?

-The symbol above the door number five. It's a frog!

-Then that's the one. It has to be. Open it, quickly!

-I… I can see the street. It's cold… It's… Winter time… And John is out there with… Two men-her voice became so sweet and full of longing that Peter's heart started to beat faster.

_Stupid John._

_She never uses that tone of voice when she talks about me._

-Okay-he heaved a sigh, trying not to sound disappointed. –Can you see their faces? Do you know who they are?

-Look at him… He looks so alive. So real…-Olivia whispered, infatuated with John's appearance.

-Olivia. We are not here for that-Peter spurred her on, mildly annoyed. –The case, remember? Hello? Earth to Olivia Dunham. And please don't tell me you just went into the tank to talk to John and to see him and that you don't even care about the case.

-Peter, how can you even… I… I can't recognize them… They are too far away.

-Then enter the room. I know it's going to be the first room you'll enter but… Don't be afraid… We're on the right track. It's John's memory, alright. We're just visiting, stopping by, nothing else, honey. They cannot see you, hear you or speak with you. You are in a memory, Olivia, I repeat. There won't be any interaction. Whenever you wish to stop, you can turn around and go back through the very same door.

-Okay… I… I see them better now. I am getting closer. There is John…. The second man is… Oh my God, it's Mark Young! One of the men is Mark Young! I see him clearly. He's here!-she whispered excitedly.

-That… That's great!-both Astrid and Peter smiled triumphantly. –We are definitely in the right place. Who is the third man, Olivia? He is definitely involved in the case. And he is the only one who's still alive of the trio. I guess.

-I can't… I can't see him… He… His back is turned to me, not his face.

-Can you hear anything?

-I… I'll get closer.

-Mark Young is leaving with… With the man I don't know… It seems as if they have struck some kind of a bargain, as if they've just had a deal… John is… Now standing alone.

-Olivia… You need to find out who the man with Young is. He might be the key for solving the case! Follow them before they move too far away from Scott.

-I…-she hesitated for a while and Peter could tell she wanted to go back to John but in the end she listened to him and went after the two men instead. –I can hear them speak… And I-she stopped talking abruptly.

-Her vitals are spiking, Peter! She's shaking inside the tank-Astrid adverted him quickly.

-Olivia! Olivia! Can you hear me?-he panicked.

-Peter… We need to pull her out. Now.

-She's too far gone, Astrid. If we pull her out now… No… I must… Reconnect with her first… And then we'll both… Help her escape.

_-Now you do your part… And we'll take care of you. It's just this one deal and it's hasta luego_-those words and that familiar voice resonated inside Olivia's head.

-Olivia. Olivia, can you hear me? I need you to turn around and leave the room.

-She… She's not replying to you, Peter-Astrid said warily.

-Don't you think I've noticed that, Astrid?-he shook her by the shoulders. –Or do you maybe think I am deaf?

-Peter, calm down!-Astrid pushed him away. –You have to maintain the contact with Olivia all the time, remember?

-Dammit!-he swore, letting Astrid go and focusing on Olivia's image in the tank, whispering pleadingly, begging her: -Olivia, please come back to me…Come back to us… Fuck! Why was I such an idiot? Why the hell did I let her do as she was pleased! Astrid… What if she doesn't… God… I don't know what I'd do if-Peter bit hard on his tongue, drawing blood, stopping himself from speaking further and then he wordlessly slammed on the nearby table filled with glass vials, cutting himself in the process.

Astrid was transfixed in stare… She couldn't stop gazing at Peter.

She was afraid of him and she admired his overwhelming, worried reaction at the same time.

_Have I ever known him at all?_

The man she was seeing before her was not the man she was used to seeing every day in the lab during the past seven months.

Peter was… Like an entirely different person.

_Like his goody two shoes twin brother,_ Astrid pondered.

Yes, his usual anger and violence were there as ever-faithful companions, but he was also incredibly desperate, emotional and sad.

_Sad is actually an understatement_-Astrid thought, appalled, not being to avert her eyes from Peter.

_He seems maddened with grief._

Astrid was terrified as well, but when such thing happened to her, she would normally become even quieter, and blocked.

That apparently wasn't the case with Peter, who was now launching swear words left and right and running his fingers through his hair.

-Peter-she squeezed his hand and he squeezed her wrist back so hard that Astrid screamed, afraid he was going to break it.

–I'm sorry-he apologized hastily, letting her go immediately, staring at her with feverish gaze. –I just… I just don't know what the fuck to do, Astrid! I don't know what to do!

-Peter, listen to me. You need to calm down… You have to speak to Olivia… To make a connection with her again… You can't just… Lose yourself like that. I understand you're scared, I'm frightened as well but… Her life depends on you. On us. If you want, we can try together-she said quietly and that seemed to soothe him a bit.

Peter nodded, white in face and resumed his attention to the monitor.

Astrid tried to speak up first now.

-Olivia… Olivia, can you see the door?

-Astrid?-her voice was but a faint whisper but Olivia replied.

It sounded so much soothing and gentler than Peter's infuriated shouts that were scaring her, driving her away.

-Yes, Olivia, it's me. Is there a door behind you?

-Yes.

-Please walk to it… You… You need to get pass the door and into the hallway.

-I… I have.

Peter slumped onto the nearby chair in relief.

-It is the same hallway but different… Darker… There're blue dried triangular autumn leaves falling all around me… And I can hear the horn blowing in the distance… Like someone is… Opening the hunt… For me…

-You… You have to try to leave that place, Olivia.

-I can't, Astrid… Whenever I get to the end of the hallway I… I always come back to the beginning.

-Olivia-Peter muttered breathlessly into the receiver.

-Peter…

-Olivia, listen to me. Forget the hallway. Forget it as if had never been there in the first place. Just… Go down the stairs, sweetheart. Go down the stairs and… Can you do that for me?

-I don't see… I don't see any stairs.

-Trust me. Do you trust me?

-I do.

-Close your eyes… And start going down the stairs. In five, four, three, two, one… Now.

-I think I… I think I have really descended the flight of stairs. But how… Peter?

-Don't you worry about how's and why's. You've come down the stairs. That's good. Good. Now slowly open your eyes and tell me what you see in front of you.

-I see the red door again, from the inside of the house, this time.

-Okay. That's okay-he licked his lips and Astrid noticed Peter's mouth was full of blood. Glass shards were embedded into his palms but he neither seemed to notice nor to care.

-Just open the door… Come outside… And then we'll be able to pull you out of the tank… You only need to leave your subconsciousness.

-I can't.

-What do you mean you can't?

-It's locked… It's locked and they're coming for me, Peter… Someone is coming for me, I can hear his breathing and he… He's going to hurt me Peter, please… Please don't let him hurt me…

-Olivia? Olivia!-Peter screamed so loud Astrid was sure Walter was going to wake up.

-He's here. But… He can't touch me… There is… Smoke… Enveloping me.

-Smoke? What smoke? Are you… Are you choking?

-No, it's not like that… It's like a transparent smoke curtain that… Is shimmering in the light and it… It can change shape and size-Olivia blushed heavily when the smoke became a glittering, sparkling figure of her invisible lover Eugene, then it briefly obtained a face of a guardian dog her neighbors in Jacksonville used to own and it eventually turned into… Peter.

He just stood there quietly, decisively in his new smoky form, between Olivia and whoever wished to harm her, shielding her.

-Olivia… Fuck… Speak to me. Are you there?-Peter's voice was full of angst.

-I am here.

-Is that weird smoke still keeping the enemy at bay?

-Yes-Olivia opted not to tell Peter about the new shape smoke now had.

-You… You were saying that the door was locked.

-It still is.

-Do you see the key anywhere around you?-Peter inquired.

-No-she replied sadly.

-Then we'll just have to improvise-there was a mischievous tone in Peter's voice and Olivia smiled a little in the tank, even before she knew what his plan was.

-I want you to reach into your pocket… And… Pull out a lockpick.

-But I… I don't carry…

-Just do it, Olivia.

Olivia was astonished when she indeed found a simple lockpick in her pocket.

-I… It's here, I have it, Peter! But I don't understand how you…

Astrid and Peter looked at each other, smiling, and nodded briefly.

-Ah, 'tis naught but a powerful suggestion of my mind you were susceptible to-he chuckled. –Now… Olivia…Remember how I opened the door of my old childhood home, back when we were retrieving that weird device for Walter he later attached on Roy Mc. Comb's head? You were with me, you saw me do it.

-I remember.

-Try to do exactly the same… Listen to my voice. Follow my instructions. Put the lockpick in a lock, and slowly turn it around… Up and down… Left and right… Don't force it… Be gentle… Tentative… You have to focus fully… To feel the mechanism. It's a form of art, Dunham-he smirked in spite of his concern. – Kinda like making love to a beautiful woman. Who needs the golden key to the special lady's heart when he has a shortcut? A rusty but effective lockpick-Peter got himself carried away a bit.

He knew he was talking too much but that was just the way he coped with this kind of situation they were in.

Peter would always blabber when he was nervous or uncomfortable.

_It's either that or alcohol and violence._

_And it's not really time for those right now._

_Perhaps later, when she's safe and sound._

-It's… It's working… I… I think it clicked-he heard her say.

The sweat was now dripping from Peter's forehead onto the keyboard and Astrid was wiping her tears away with a Kleenex.

-Open the door now, Olivia.

-I have. I'm outside and I… It's dark… As if it were night time…. Dark and uncomfortable. I'm lying in cold water.

-It's okay, honey-his breathing was ragged and shallow as Peter willed himself to calm down. -You're back in the tank, Olivia. You're back in the lab. You're here, with us.-Astrid-Peter instructed her coolly, coldly, ashamed of the overtly emotional state he'd just went through and which Astrid witnessed. –You can pull Olivia out now-Peter felt as if he had aged ten years in mere half an hour.

His tongue was bleeding from the self-inflicted bite marks and his hands hurt from the cuts he earned when he sent several empty glass vials flying onto the floor in his distress.

Peter took a deep breath, and then he went over to the sensory deprivation tank to greet Olivia.

-Welcome back-Peter said quietly, his voice husky and shaky, kneeling next to Olivia, without daring to touch her, simply staring intently and drinking in her facial features, making sure she was alive and completely unharmed as Olivia was safely cradled in Astrid's embrace.

-Peter… Thank you.-she caressed him with her gaze and he nodded briefly in acknowledgement before getting up and cracking a wide, trembling smile. –So… Thirty percent pay raise for us both? What do you say?-he motioned jokingly towards Astrid as well.

-Peter!-Astrid couldn't believe her ears. –How can you even…

-Deal. You've earned it-Olivia replied calmly and his mouth twitched in a familiar crooked lopsided grin.

**WHEN** Olivia got dressed, as quickly as she could, she immediately went looking for Peter.

He was sitting in her office, drinking.

His palms were now free of glass shards and the superficial cuts were thoroughly cleaned with alcohol.

Two empty beer bottles were already in front of him and Peter was reaching for the third one with his trembling hands.

-Peter. You sure you don't need bandages for…

-Hey-he greeted her tiredly, scanning her figure with an indescribable strange mixture of worry, fury and tenderness and shaking his head at her. –Nope, no bandages. Just… Don't fuss over me, Olivia, I can't stand that. I'm used to this kind of stuff. I'm good-he looked away from her and then changed the subject. -There's still time until Walter wakes up. Twenty minutes or so, I'd say. I unlocked the back room door, just in case.

He noticed Olivia's gaze was drawn by the beer bottles. –I know. It's a tad too early to be drinking. Ten a.m. and all that. But I really needed a good swig after…-he cast his eyes on the floor. –Well, after all the shit that happened on this fucked up morning.

She nodded in understanding.

-Look, Olivia. I know you're disappointed now. I'm sorry you didn't… Get the info you needed, Dunham. That you went into that shitass place for nothing. But I sure as hell am not sorry for keeping you alive.

-That… That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Peter. It wasn't for nothing after all. I… I did manage to get the information we needed. The man who was walking away with Mark Young… The black market hallucinogen drug trafficker I saw in John's memory. From the moment I heard his voice I knew who he was. His name is George Morant. He…-she bit her lower lip fiercely. –He's my stepfather.


	19. Tess

**PETER **sharply spun around in the swivel chair at those words.

-What?-he inquired as he felt the icy blade of fear passing through his heart.

-That's him, Peter. That's the man I saw in John's memory. He's the only one who survives of the trio.-Olivia confirmed.

-You're sure? You don't think that the memories you'd visited got somehow… Mixed up, I dunno? Remember when you went through the second door… The one with the apple engraved above it… You saw your stepfather. He was in the kitchen and he…-Peter eventually chose not to go into details as far as that particular scene was concerned. –So maybe you yourself introduced your stepfather into John's memory because you were still under the impression of that scene.

-I… I don't think that's possible, Peter. I recall Walter specifically telling me that John's memories are his and his only; that they cannot be altered in any way by me. I might… I might get confused and start believing they are my memories as well, but the memories will remain as they were. Unchanged.

-And you are certain the third guy was your stepfather.

-Yes… I mean… The years have passed…I haven't seen George in over two decades but… I would always recognize his voice-Olivia shuddered, hugging herself, unconscious that she was doing it. –He had a pet phrase he really liked to use… I remember he used to tell me, when I would try to convince Mom to leave him: "You do that just one more time and it's hasta luego, do you hear me? You'll get what's coming to you". The man I saw in John's memory seemed just like him, but older… I tried to shake off the thought about their comparison but in the end the voice dissipated all my doubts.

-So the same guy you shot many years ago, who somehow managed to survive and recover… The man who's sending you a postcard every year on your birthday… Is the man whom we are looking for in this case?

-Apparently. And that is not all. Last night I… Received a phone call from him.

Peter stiffened.

_So he's the one who called. _

_No wonder Olivia chose not to share it with Eugene. _

_I have higher clearance level since she already told me about her stepfather._

-What did he want?-Peter stood up, the expression on his face blank, unreadable.

-It's not the first time he's called me, he's been calling me for years. He somehow always manages to get my phone number no matter how many times I change it. I didn't tell you that the last time we spoke about him. Nothing, he never wants anything, he only breathes into the receiver, greets me with "Hello dear" and then he hangs up after five seconds.

-Fucking creep-Peter muttered under his breath. -So if…-even though he was fuming on the inside, Peter tried to be rational like Olivia, to think of the case instead of the danger her stepfather represented for her. –If he were to call you again we still wouldn't be able to trace the number and locate him.

-No… I think not. There wouldn't be enough time. And I never managed to make him say any more than that. Then there's also a potential problem of name changing-maybe he doesn't go by the name George Morant anymore. It doesn't surprise me he's a black market trafficker though… There was always something fishy about him that I didn't like, apart from his violence towards us and his alcoholism-she sighed. –Anyway. This is a very important lead. I better get a move on. I need to see Broyles. If I go to the FBI offices immediately, I can contact the professional sketcher and they can try and draw his face… I mean, he's changed with age, but I have seen what he looks like now. They can run the sketch through the facial recognition software afterwards, the police department can then pass the composite around Young's apartment and office… Gosh, I…-she ran her fingers through her wet hair… -I never thought I'd actually have to look for this man instead of continuing to constantly avoid him.

-Whoa. Slow down, Dunham. You just came out of your personal inferno, you're tired, you have a huge gaping wound on your neck and you "need to see Broyles"? Chillax, Olivia. Sit down. Have a cup of coffee. Eat something. Heck, dry your hair. You can firstly call Broyles and inform him of your progress, you don't have to go there this very moment.

Olivia eventually nodded, reluctantly agreeing with him, but then she rapidly pulled out her cell phone and went back into the lab.

**PETER **came out as well minutes later, when he'd finished his third bottle of beer.

It did nothing for him.

_It just made me smell bad and it kinda put me in fouler mood._

_Better get Walter outta there._

_He'll wake up soon enough._

He and Astrid were just supporting Walter's limp body from both sides with joined forces, pulling him out of the back room and searching for the free chair in which they could inconspicuously place him and then convince Walter he simply fell asleep after he woke up, when Olivia ended the conversation with their boss.

She immediately went into explanatory mode.

-I told Broyles that we know now Mark Young was murdered, and the probable reasons might be the following: he might have initially agreed and then refused to sell technologies to black market buyers, perhaps he wanted out, threatened to disclose the dealers; or… Something simply went wrong during the sales. And he knows now we believe that this man, George Morant-she paused a little, gulping. -Was part of an underground group responsible for brokering the sale of a synthetic hallucinogen which was, as it turned out, manufactured by Massive Dynamic's drug division. The black market applications of this hallucinogen are countless. The drug could easily be mass produced as a cheap street drug or worse. I also said to Broyles we're going to need Massive Dynamic to disclose every project that Mark Young was working on, seeing how he is their former employee, but no such luck. Nina Sharp won't give us any documents on Mark Young, and I might have to get a court order so that I can obtain the privilege of browsing through them. Who knows how long that's gonna take-she bit her lower lip.

-Maybe you won't get a court order immediately, but it sure sounds like you are already making some progress, don't let us stop you-Peter said jovially, sharply pulling Walter's head upwards when suddenly a loud knock was heard at the lab door.

Gene mooed sadly in response.

-Who could that be?-Astrid wondered out loud.

-Probably some first year students looking for their classroom, as always-Olivia said nonchalantly as she strode away to the door to open them, seeing how Peter and Astrid were busy with transporting Walter.

She was taken aback when she saw a young, good-looking, long-haired blond woman in her thirties standing in the doorway.

She had pleasant facial features, with a lot of make-up, and she wore a simple tight jeans paired up with brown leather jacket. She was anxiously clutching her purse, looking firstly left then right and ultimately glancing behind her shoulder.

The beautiful woman also sized Olivia up with the typical female curiosity and a hint of surprised disapproval, taking in her dripping wet hair and staring at her overtly long black pants; simple dark shirt; big manly shoes.

Olivia was just getting ready to answer: "Not remotely" to her probable future inquiry "Is this…" when precisely the right question had been asked.

-Hi, excuse me… Is this Doctor Walter Bishop's laboratory?-the woman had a polite, shy, quiet, nervous voice.

-I…-Olivia was astonished that the woman even knew how to find them and she was at a loss for words.

-I… I am sorry for showing up so abruptly… I would have never done so if it hadn't been urgent… I am looking for Peter Bishop. Is he here?

-He… He is.-Olivia was still confused.

-My name is Tess, by the way. His friend.-they shook hands and Olivia introduced herself as well. –Peter and I go way back-Tess smiled widely and for some reason Olivia's light green eyes turned a darker shade of jade.

She stared at that woman as she took in the probable meaning of those words and her cheeks reddened.

-Oh-she managed to mutter but she said nothing else.

-I was going to call him first and meet him somewhere in town-the woman went on guiltily as if she had done something wrong by coming into the lab-but I didn't have his phone number. All I had was the laboratory location and I… I'm sorry. May I come in?

Olivia silently, affirmatively motioned towards the laboratory space, still not realizing where this was going and what this woman wished from Peter, but trying to decide with her brain that it wasn't really her business.

It wasn't going that well.

-Who was it, Olivia?-Peter asked, his back turned towards the door as he was holding Walter's head in his hands. –Jehovah's witnesses? Those guys are really snoopy; it wouldn't surprise me that they eventually found us as well, no matter how perfect underground hiding place we'd chosen. They'd go to all ends of Earth to find new clientele to brainwash. Me and Walter would be a tough nut to crack as far as the conversion from agnosticism is concerned but… Walter would certainly give them credit for trying. He might even offer them a milkshake.

-Always the same old Peter, aren't you? Fooling around.-Tess whispered affectionately, standing in the middle of the room and Olivia saw Peter's body become rigid as he dropped Walter from his grasp at the sound of woman's voice.

-Peter!-Astrid protested loudly as drugged Walter fell onto the floor with a loud "thump" since she couldn't support his weight all by herself.

Peter didn't seem to notice that at all, as he turned around incredibly slowly and faced Tess.

Olivia didn't know why but she followed the exchange of their looks, drinking in every detail, not being able to move.

She felt a strong urge to… Find out what this woman meant to Peter.

-Hey-he eventually muttered, apparently gathering some wits and then he practically ran into her embrace.

Peter lifted her off of the floor and twirled her in his arms for quite a long while. To Olivia, they seemed like two happy carefree children carried away in their play.

The scene stung her for some reason and she subconsciously compared her wet, stringy blond hair to Tess's beautiful waves.

Olivia noticed Tess was now crying and Peter cupped her cheeks with his both palms, wiping away her tears.

-Come on, Tess. Knock it off. This is a joyful reunion, I hope? Saline droplets aren't invited to the party.

-I just didn't realize what it would do, you know, hearing your voice.

-Well, I do have that effect on the ladies, occasionally-he grinned and both Astrid and Olivia rolled their eyes in unison at the transparent cheesiness of that declaration. –You look good, Tess.

-You look older.

-Older? When my father-you remember him, he's the elderly gentleman lying on the floor who is about to have a concussion-Peter grinned-saw me for the first time he said he thought I'd be fatter. It's so nice to hear all those compliments coming my way.

-Yes, I know that you are now here with your father.

-How did you know where… But, sorry, where are my manners? Tess, this is Olivia… Olivia… This is Tess.

-We've already met-Olivia nodded briefly, speaking softly.

-And this is Astrid. Or Afro. Or Asteroid. And I just might throw an occasional Aspen and Asparagus in.

-Hi-Tess waved casually in Astrid's direction. –I see Peter has already come up with crazy nicknames for you.

-Oh, no. Thankfully, he is actually the one who calls me Astrid. The other ones are his father's inventions-Astrid smiled.

-I would re-introduce you to my father too but he won't wake up yet, at least not in another ten minutes-Peter chuckled. –So… Tess? Do you have time? Can we talk? Catch up? Can I buy you a cup of coffee? Something to eat, maybe? There is a slobby cheap diner near the lab, but they make the best burgers there are. I promise you've never tasted anything that good. Not remotely. Besides… You really could use some food. You're still as skinny as I remember.

_He normally makes that same comment about me-_Olivia thought melancholically.

-I… I don't have time to eat, I am kind of in a hurry.-Tess's nervous eyes travelled all around the lab. –Listen… Can I talk to you outside for a second? I really need to tell you something.

-Sureee-Peter said sleazily, winking at Olivia and Astrid. –Alone. In… Private. Yeah, baby. No problem.

Astrid laughed out loud and Olivia managed a forced smile but it somehow wasn't sincere enough and she knew it.

She wasn't sure why, but… At that very moment, she felt as if she had a claim on Peter somehow… And that someone else was trying to take him away.

_Mine_-was a possessive thought that emerged from her mind out of nowhere and it horrified her.

_Why? Why do I feel like this? Why are my teeth so clenched, why this pain in my chest, why this false smile, why am I searing holes through her with my eyes? What did she ever do to me? I am never like this. She is obviously someone who meant… Who means a lot to Peter and I... _-she let out an inaudible sigh.

Her eyes followed Peter with stifled regret as he opened the lab door for Tess and briefly sized up her behind like all men normally, instinctively do, but that didn't comfort her.

Astrid noticed her reaction and smirked a little. She didn't speak up though, until the lab door firmly closed behind Peter and Tess.

-Oh… My… God. Olivia. Have you seen that? Well this is the first one. A girl actually walked into our lab-she commented wide-eyedly. –I think it's a good thing Walter wasn't awake, I always tell Peter that he should wait to introduce girls to his father if he wants to have something serious with them.

-Apparently-Olivia played with her hair absently, still wondering what was going on in the hallway-she already knows Walter.

-High school sweetheart? First flame, maybe?-Astrid leaned towards Olivia eager for some gossiping. –I mean, this is all so intriguing, don't you think? Peter's normally very private, quiet, he doesn't talk about his past at all… Then a hot blond walks into the lab and you can't just expect me not to comment on her.

-She… She looked nervous-Olivia said, not willing to talk about the possible way in which Tess and Peter's past were connected.

**-**Well who could blame her? They probably haven't seen each other for ages. His reaction was so sweet and spontaneous, though, when he saw her in here; he's normally never that open with any girl, at least not that I've seen it before.

-That's true-Olivia replied extremely slowly.

She didn't know what expression she wore on her face but it must have been pretty mortified since Astrid slowly sized her up and said:

-Olivia, what's wrong? Is it because…

-I am not sure-she said simply, honestly.

Olivia had already told Astrid about the two nights of "close encounter" that she had with Peter: the one on the bench and the one in the diner-the two times when Peter tried to kiss her.

Astrid thought it was quite prudent of Olivia that she pulled back in the last moment.

-I don't know, Olivia-she said back then, frowning. –He just… Gives away a completely wrong vibe to me. Sure, he's cute, smart and sweet… He knows how to suck up when he needs something but… Beneath all those flashy smiles, I am positive that he he's a selfish, self-centered person. Did you see the way he treats Walter? How he takes off every now and then without even caring what his father will do without him? How he constantly dumps him on me?

-I know… We talked about this ages ago over the phone, remember? But you also can't deny that he… He found the documents that made it possible for Walter to leave the mental institution during our last case. No matter how individualistic he might seem… Peter is slowly becoming an integral part of Fringe Division.

-That's true…-Astrid frowned. –Not to mention the insane affectionate reactions he had when you were in the tank an hour ago.

-Yes I…-Olivia was a little satisfied that Astrid had also noticed something and that it wasn't just her imagination. –I was aware of his distress.

-Distress? More like mad desperation, if you ask me. Olivia, I have never seen him act like that and I have been working with Peter Bishop every day for seven months. He was so worried about you.

-Probably because he was the one who agreed to do it, I practically coerced him into it and Peter thought he'd have to assume the full responsibility in case… In case something happens to me-Olivia tried to rationalize the whole situation but she was secretly more pleased with Astrid's analytic approach.

Astrid rolled her eyes.

-Whatever you say… But what about this girl, Olivia? I noticed you seemed… Upset, I don't know, when she entered the lab. And you still can't stop looking at the door.

-It's… It's nothing.

-Are you having second thoughts?-Astrid smiled slyly. –Are you sorry for telling him "no"?

_Am I?_-Olivia briefly wondered the same but she ultimately discarded that possibility, frightened of what it might actually mean.

-No, of course not-she replied calmly.

Astrid eventually nodded slowly, still scrutinizing Olivia's face with her knowing glare. Olivia was aware that the lab assistant probably didn't believe her.

-I'm gonna go get my coat.

-You're leaving immediately?

-Yes. I think I'll visit the professional sketcher in the FBI offices. We really shouldn't waste time. We need to catch that bastard and find out everything he knows.

**ONCE **outside, Peter and Tess embraced yet again, this time more firmly, more intimately, with unhidden tenderness.

Peter fully inhaled the scent of the first completely familiar person, in body and in soul, he'd stumbled upon ever since he returned to Boston.

She smelled like home.

Tess reminded him of lousily done exams, chasing around the school courtyard, watching cartoons, climbing on neighbor's cherry tree and eating green fruit, of a first goofy kiss, first clumsy sexual experience.

_I used to carry the torch for her way back when I was a romantic idealist._

He let himself get lost in the woman that was a symbol of his past, since her sudden appearance helped him forget the horror of the present he'd just faced in the laboratory.

-I am very glad to see you-he blurted out.

She inhaled deeply several times, without saying anything for some time and Peter was secretly pleased he was the one who made her breath hitch. And that he was still able to have that effect on her. –How did you find me?

-I went to Markham.

-That douche bag. He'd sell his own mother for a pair of sweet boobs wiggled in front of his eyes.

-I didn't flirt with him, if that's what you meant by your comment-she smiled. –I simply told him I was very worried about you. And he told me where to find you.

-Worried? Fidle-dee-dee. I can take care of myself. That's pretty much the only person I can and I am willing to take care of. You should know that by now, Tess. You do know it. You just choose to ignore it for some reason.

-Wait, listen to me-she started out again, desperately.

-You sure you don't wanna eat something?-he abruptly changed the subject, not really wanting to talk just now about what he knew was coming.

_We'll talk about it in the end._

-No, I…-she looked around…

_Warily?_-Peter thought.

-Hey…-he hugged her even firmer as she fit perfectly in his arms.

Peter wanted her to calm down and his closeness apparently did the trick.

After some time she looked up at his face with a gentle, dreamy expression on her own.

-It's so strange seeing you again. After all these years. And that stubble you've grown and that you've just scratched me with. No. No. You look like a punk. You used to seem as such a sweet, nice guy, you had that boy-next-doorish look.

-Well at least now my appearance isn't deceiving ladies all over the globe that much, wouldn't you agree? They take one glance at the stubble and they know I am a player. The rest is up to them. Fight or flight-he chuckled. -And let me throw a critic or two your way while we're at it. You lost way too much weight, Tess. Just look at your face. Way too bony and skinny. You look like Michael Jackson after he had all those numerous surgeries and that is not a compliment. Your arms are all skinny. What do you live on, air?

Tess grimaced and shook her head.

-All right. There is still one nice thing I can say about you, Peter. You still smell good.

-You too. As for the rough look… Well life wasn't exactly kind to us, was it Tess? We practically grew up in the street, we were part of an influential Boston criminal gang… You maybe still are and I got out although I don't even know if I did it on time… And so on and so forth.

They stared at each other for what it seemed like an eternity, the invisible bond they had since childhood still present as if they had never parted ways. Peter cupped her cheeks with care.

Peter Bishop and Tess Amaral were like two old war veterans who were now about to revive the intriguing stories from the past battles in which they fought together.

But they were also two puppies from the same litter, adopted by different owners and later kicked out on the street anyway, who had finally met after many years, melancholically recognizing each other, wiggling their tails, sniffing one another in a friendly manner and remembering both the good times and the bad.

The door behind them suddenly opened and Peter sprang up nervously, letting go of Tess's face and taking in Olivia's tall, lean figure. She was apparently in a hurry as she merely cast a brief glance at them and nodded, already walking away.

Peter started after her with an inquiry:

-Hey! Are you going to the office?

Olivia half-turned without really looking him in the face and assented with her head.

-I see you haven't dried your hair-he chuckled. –Need some company?

Her gaze was unreadable and closed off as she muttered an unmistakable "no" across the hallway, now already halfway up the stairs.

-Didn't think so-Peter grunted annoyedly.

Tess followed the exchange attentively, intrigued with Peter's humble respectable behavior.

-Who's the blond? She's smoking hot but she needs a new stylist. No one who is that good-looking should downdress as she does.

-Don't let her hear you-Peter cracked up. -She's my boss. Very possessive and protective. Fierce lady. And incredibly fond of her dark mannish Count Dracula clothes. She wants me to give all my free time to the causes we're fighting for. Well… To be honest… To the causes she's fighting for. And there are many of those, believe me. One pops up each day.

-Are you sleeping with her?-Tess's eyes widened curiously.

-Nah…-he scratched his head, looking away.

-But you'd like to, wouldn't you?

-You know me… I'd like to get in the panties of all females around me. So she's not an exception.

-Knowing you… You probably will, eventually. With you Peter, it's not the question whether the girl falls for your charms or not, it's merely the question when she does it.

-Yeah, sooner all later they all grow a soft spot in their hearts for your man over here. With one exception-he motioned towards her. –Some never see me as anything more than friend with benefits.

-How much longer like that, Peter?-she shook her head a bit forlornly.

-Just a couple of thousand more women to bed and I'll calm down, I swear-he smirked jokingly.

-Well, it probably won't be a problem at all for you to achieve the desired number. You _are _irresistible-she complimented him with a seductive smile and thus started the cat and mouse game they had forever known how to play oh too well.

-Always have been. Hopefully, always will be-he winked playfully at her.

-I missed you and those funny weird comments of yours. I… I am happy to know that you are here in Boston even though you shouldn't be-a shadow briefly flew over her face. –A simple fact of being aware of your presence, Peter. Makes me feel calmer. Safer. Like a ray of sun that for an instant breaches the dark lining of a rain cloud-Tess leaned towards him and briefly paused, looking him in the eyes before she gently touched his lips with her own, yearning for closeness.

Peter briefly reciprocated the superficial kiss regarding it with sweet tenderness of a friendly reconnection but he did stiffen when he sensed that Tess wanted to deepen it.

It brought back way too many memories and he didn't want to get entangled in them.

-I don't think that's a good idea, Tess. We've been there. Done that. I went through hell for it first. And eventually, we both did-Peter's lips now turned away from hers, mindful neither to hurt her feelings, nor to succumb to a temptation, but he did affectionately bite her neck.

-It never was a good idea, was it?-she swallowed. –We should have just stayed friends from the beginning in the first place, Peter.

-Sex was a good way for us to get close but it wasn't direly needed; we were close already, Tess. Because we were alike. Bad lots, both of us. Selfish and shrewd. But able to look things in the eyes as we call them by their right names. We were so starved of life that we greedily devoured the thrilling new experiences when they were finally offered to us, shoving them into our souls with both hands. We could have also done perfectly well without sex. One of us got too attached. The other one didn't. Oh well. I suppose it was one helluva way for us to pass the time and lick each other's wounds, what with my mother's nervous breakdowns followed by her passing away and Michael's vehement, trigger-happy mood.-he smiled sadly and then his eyes narrowed knowingly as he rolled up the sleeves of her blouse and her jacket discovering ugly indigo bruises on her pale skin.

-Which I see he still falls into every now and then-Peter growled in a low voice as a crease between his eyebrows deepened.

-He does-she nodded as translucent pearls glistened in her eyes.

Tess knew it was pointless to lie. Especially to him.

-Why are you still putting up with him, Tess?-he was furious with her because she didn't know the meaning of a word "self-esteem", because she constantly undervalued and belittled the kind person she used to be and she probably, no, most certainly still was, treading over her past ideals for a man who most certainly didn't deserve her.

-I… It's really not that bad. We have been together forever, Peter. He loves me very much and I know it… He just… He only does it when I…Really deserve it. It's not as often as before. Things have changed-she recited to him mechanically, her voice rid of all emotions.

-You just keep telling that to yourself every night while you're sobbing yourself to sleep.

-Look… Peter-she started to quiver and he knew she was reaching her eruption point.

_The ultimate confession._

_How self-delusional she really is._

_Let's speed the things up, folks._

_Throw a couple of snowballs in to start the avalanche._

-You're in a vicious circle. Pluck up the courage. Turn the page, Tess. It's that simple. I've really got nothing else to tell you. We've been through this before. Million times. I told you back then and I am telling you now. Leave him. Start a new life. Do now what you didn't dare to do then. Don't tell me I don't know how it's like because I know perfectly well. I've been there with you all steps of the way.

-What do you want me to do? Huh?-she hissed angrily back into his ear and he cocked his head leisurely, now listening intently.

_Precisely what I was waiting for._

_Olivia and Charlie's interrogating tricks which I've picked up and that involve taunting have apparently proven equally useful in real life situations. _

_Who would have thought that being on the right side of the law actually helps you develop some unusual verbal skills?_

_The damn is broken._

_Here comes the flood._

_Speak to me Tess. _

_Open up._

_Tell me the truth and I'll take it from there when I see how bad it is._

–Huh? What exactly do you expect me to do? He leads the gang now, Peter. All of them now do his bidding. I am vulnerable. I am alone. I am scared to fight back. It takes a lot of support from friends and family to do it and I have none-Peter winced guiltily at those words. –He lays the bed for me to sleep in, he feeds me, he puts the clothes I wear on my back. I've got nowhere else to go. There's nothing I can do, nothing I can tell him to make him stop. If I left… I know he'd come find me and hurt me worse than he does now.

_So she's afraid. _

_That's all I needed to know. _

_Let's bring this conversation to an end. _

_Get to the point._

-I know he's looking for me-he said calmly, changing the topic. –That is why you came here. That is why you talked to Markham. So that you can find me. Warn me.

-Yes. Yes I did. Because of the debt I owe to a man I should have loved. A man who would have made me truly happy. For who better than me knows the fury of Michael Kelly?

Peter kissed her forehead with reverence.

-Forget that, Tess. I am fine now. It's all water under the bridge. And… I couldn't care less about his fury. He can shove it up his cowardly little ass, where it rightfully belongs.

-Peter… Listen to me. I am serious. This is not a joke. You won't be able to wriggle out of his grasp this time. He constantly talks about finally collecting the old debt. You need to leave Boston-Tess grabbed his both hands and bore her terrified gaze into his.

-You know, I'm a stubborn guy. So that plea is kinda just having a counter-effect on me now-he chuckled bravely, carelessly, already reaching for the lab door handle. –Thanks for the heads-up. And for the chit-chat. It was very… Informative-he smirked.

-What are you going to do?

-Do?

-I know you, Peter. I can see you're planning something.

-Me? Nah. Goodbye, Tess. I'll see you round-he kissed her cheek lovingly and disappeared behind the old door.

Walter was sitting on the chair, rubbing his swollen forehead when Peter re-entered the lab.

-Peter! I didn't know you were there! Imagine what happened to me: I fell asleep.

-I know.

-What did I miss?

-Nothing much. Here, let me give you a quick briefing of what had transpired in here in under an hour. Astrid and I now earn 2140 dollars instead of 1605 dollars per month, while your salary remains unchanged. Olivia went into the tank under my exclusive surveillance, she almost died but we pulled her out on time. She practically solved the case with the memory she found in her subconsciousness so we'll have the rest of our day off. The guy who committed suicide was in cahoots with Olivia's abusive stepfather. I didn't mention that before, did I? And Tess dropped by, remember her? My girl friend from primary and from high school? She said "Hi". That's about it, I guess.

-Can I have some red vines, son, please? I've suddenly gotten a craving.

**NIGHT **couldn't come soon enough for Peter.

He needed to embrace Olivia, to comfort her, to make sure she was really fine and that there were truly no long-term consequences of her submerging into the tank.

He briefly, sadly thought of Tess and the fact no one will probably console her, no one will hug her on that warm May evening.

_She'll have to cry herself to sleep again. _

_But not for long._

_And I'll make sure that Olivia doesn't do it tonight._

He had also been thinking about Olivia's stepfather and Michael all day.

Peter was enraged with those men who apparently thought they owned the whole world and that they could mistreat anyone they wished and whenever they wanted to.

_Motherfuckers. Bullies and nothing but._

_What kind of a low life you have to be to physically assault a woman?_

_I'm a make out artist myself._

_I may be a silver tongue liar._

_Philanderer._

_Pleasure giver and pleasure seeker._

_But I am most certainly not an assaulter. I don't use women as punching bags._

_I'll find the way to get to them, I swear, even if it's the last thing I do._

Peter eagerly ran into Olivia's apartment around eleven p.m. that evening, longing for physical contact with her he lacked during the day.

He knew she wasn't feeling well, no matter how normally she behaved after she stepped out of the tank and no matter how hard she tried to hide her pain and her confusion.

_She shouldn't be alone tonight._

She was just coming out of the bathroom, a white towel loosely wrapped around her curvaceous form, the expression on her face a bottle of a everlasting sadness, a glass of strong determination and a drop of irrational fear as she walked the corridor, pensive and silent.

-_Olivia-_he announced his presence a bit breathlessly, unsurely lingering at the door.

But he didn't have to be afraid because she beamed after having heard his voice.

_That grin of Olivia's that she has on her face just now…_

_Would even put a Cheshire cat to shame._

She swiftly approached the door trying to guess where he was by the sound of his voice and Peter teased her for a minute or so, hiding around the hallway and dodging her embrace until he eventually placed his arms around her waist from behind, surprising her, putting his head on her shoulder and inhaling the familiar scent of her skin.

-Eugene!-she sulked. –No fair.

-_I was just joking._

-I know. It was like playing hide-and-seek. That would be one game you'd always be best in-she giggled. –No one would ever be able to locate you. Really, it made me feel like a child again.

-_I am glad_-Peter smiled, without letting her leave his secure embrace, the one he wanted to wrap Olivia into ever since she got out of the tank but couldn't, enjoying her warmth and her overall presence.

The fact that she was moving around, talking and laughing made him feel relieved.

_It proves that she's not lifeless, immobile and forever silent._

His grasp became even stronger, firmer, more desperate, without him even noticing it and Olivia protested out loud.

-Eugene… You're crushing me.

Peter loosened the grip but he didn't allow her to wriggle out of his arms.

_I want to crush you. _

_To punish you._

_You had me worried sick._

_You little thoughtless risk-taker._

The next words flew out of his mouth without thinking.

_-I was in a laboratory today._

_-_You… You were?

-_Yes. I wasn't doing anything special in the cellar and I missed you so I wanted to come and see how you were. And then… I saw you enter that tank to search for the memories of your deceased partner. I was very afraid for you._

She shrugged.

-It was nothing, Eugene, really… There is just this case we have to solve and…

_-You could have lost your life. It was really reckless of you to do that._

-But I didn't. I came back with useful information. We now have another suspect and… I think we are actually making progress-she nodded briefly more to reassure herself than anything else. -There is also… Another lead I need to… Cover.

-_Which lead?_

-You… I've been meaning to tell you this tonight. I am sorry to ask such thing of you but Eugene… If you wanted to… You could cooperate on the case as well. I think you are the only one who can help me with the matter, actually, I really don't have anyone else to rely on as far as this is concerned.

_Oh, come on._

_I am working double-time now?_

_And I just got my pay raise-_Peter thought dejectedly.

_-What do you need me to do?_

-A man who was a former employee of Massive Dynamic died two days ago. We have a reason to believe that he was murdered but all the answers I am getting from that company by phone are vague and insufficient which in turn only makes me suspect them even more… Could you…-she nibbled on her lip. –Would it be possible for you to enter the company and… Snoop around?

_-You want me to go inside Massive Dynamic offices? In New York City?_

-Yes, I understand that it's a strange demand. But perhaps you don't have to travel all the way to New York.

_I surely hope not._

_-_There is a branch office right here in Boston which Nina Sharp occasionally visits. So we would only have to find out when she's arriving to Boston and… No one would notice you there. Maybe you could obtain the useful information that I need.

_-How would I know where to go? What documents to look for?_

-Oh, no… I… I just need you to follow executive director and chief operating officer at Massive Dynamic. I will take care of the documents, I'll get a court order.

_She wants me to follow Nina Sharp around?_

_Lovely._

_What if I get caught?_

_And I don't want to waste my precious snuggling serum and replace it with spying serum._

_It's the same one, really._

_But the purpose number one is by far my favorite._

_Say no to spying!_

_Make love, not war!_

-Her name is Nina Sharp.

_You don't say._

-Perhaps you've heard of her already.

-_I have._

-So what do you think? Do you… Do you have the time? Would you be willing to do it? I just need something that connects her to the case, maybe an overheard conversation where she mentions Mark Young's death… That would be the easiest way to find out what she really knows, by eavesdropping on her. If Massive Dynamic is involved, she will probably say something along the lines that they are hiding it well, that FBI isn't suspecting a thing…

_-Do I need to be bugged?_

-It would probably be for the best. In that way you could record anything she says and it would automatically become evidence.

_I must be out of my mind._

-_Okay._

_-_Really? You… You would do it for me?-it was now Olivia's turn to hug him tightly, with immense gratitude.

_-I would do it for you._

-Thank you, Eugene. That means so much to me. And who knows… Maybe you'll need to do it only once.

_Hey, I wanna proper thank you_-Peter thought, eager to change the subject, as his forefinger leisurely fiddled with the knot of her towel and Olivia quickly got the picture even if he didn't say anything out loud, helping him unclasp it.

When it slid down on the floor, Olivia remained in his arms wearing a smile.

_Come to think of it, she's wearing nothing but a smile._

Peter carried her into her bedroom in his arms, pausing in front of the giant corridor mirror yet again, as always. That little game had become sort of ritual of theirs.

He placed her on the bed and she snuggled closely to him.

_-What was it like in the tank_?-he inquired.

He sensed her shudder.

-It was… Like a trip down the memory lane.

_-So you saw things from your past? _

-Yes, my… My… Subconsciousness took the shape of my childhood home and I roamed different rooms looking for the right one… I… I almost got lost and in the end I couldn't… I couldn't leave. There was someone after me… But some kind of smoke curtain protected me… It…-she shyly played with his chest hair for a while. –It initially had your shape.

_This is interesting. I didn't know this, Olivia never told me._

_Of course she didn't tell you, dumbass._

_What was she supposed to tell you: you know, Peter, the smoke curtain looks just like Eugene. –Eugene who? –Oh, didn't I mention him to you? Eugene, my ghost midnight lover I ride like a show pony every now and then._

_-Initially?_-he said in a puzzled tone of voice.

_Please, do tell me more. _

-Yes, but later it turned into…-she promptly stopped speaking for some reason, not wanting to mention Peter's name to Eugene.

_-Into whom?_

-It doesn't matter, I… I don't really want to talk about it anymore… I don't want to think about it either-she said nervously. -The things I saw in there, Eugene… I believe they took their toll on me and I… I don't feel so good right now, I am not up for this kind of conversation.

-_Shh…_ he rocked her soothingly in his arms. –_You don't have to tell me anything else about it. I was simply curious, that's all. Just take whatever you want from me tonight. Whether it's sex, comfort… Whatever you need_-he spoke slowly, emphasizing each syllable.

_-_I am sorry Eugene… I… Don't want this to feel like I'm using you… It's just that…. It is all so private and I… I can't share all the details with you just yet.

-_I understand. It's normal that you feel uncomfortable. You don't know me at all. Why would you tell me anything? And just for the record: I have absolutely nothing against you using me. _

They both chortled to that, amused.

-Can you… Can you make love to me only this night? I… Need you to take it slow…-Olivia whispered gently, pleadingly. –Make me feel safe.

-_I can._-Peter sighed deeply, moving upwards and gently positioning himself on top of her.

_Boring vanilla missionary sex is not my thing, really but… _

_This is gonna be more like soothing mission than like sex anyway, so…_

_God, how frightened Olivia is because of that sleazebag, that dickhead of her stepfather._

_Because of the fact that…_

_If we find him…_

_When we find him…_

_She'll have to face him._

_Question him._

_Tonight has to be all about her._

_But first I have to make her feel at ease and make her as horny as possible before I get in. _

_No lube in handy._

Olivia's head fell back as she lunged forward into his body.

Eugene was solid, strong and immoveable.

She knew she was secure with him.

At least for some time, Olivia Dunham knew she wasn't going to sleep alone.

She didn't know what to do with her hands so she dropped them to her sides .

She felt his arms reach around her, pinning hers in place.

An impertinent hand slipped below her body and fondled her ass tenderly, exploring its firmness and roundness.

Another caringly caressed the space between her shoulder blades.

Olivia felt a flip in her stomach and warmth beginning to glow between her legs.

He pressed her slender body into his and she felt the unexpected, yet unmistakable, outline of his cock through the jeans he was wearing.

Olivia slipped her hand inside his boxers, curious, and held it with gentleness, only to feel it lengthen and thicken instantly, and to hear a deep sigh leave Eugene's throat.

His hands flew over her body, and stroked the hot skin of her back.

His swelling cock thumped against her abdomen as they lovingly rubbed against each other. Olivia felt a burning need to be closer to him, to feel his warm skin against hers. Her hands now seemed to act on their own volition.

She felt them glide down the deep groove of his back and over the muscled curve of his buttocks. Her fingers naughtily explored the warm crease between his ass cheeks and Olivia enjoyed the surprised, pleased moan Eugene let out.

Sensing the stored power in his round haunches, Olivia felt a warm release in her vagina.

Then Olivia reached for Eugene's shaft yet again.

His cock bristled in her grasp.

It pulsed with each beat of his heart and twitched to her cool touch.

She was thrilled with the length and straightness of it, its deceiving girth.

_God, I want this. I need this pleasurable distraction from reality_, she thought.

Olivia wrapped both hands around it and felt the silky membrane slide easily over the impossibly hard manhood.

Peter breathed deeply through his mouth while she tenderly, slowly weighed his balls in her palm and rolled them among her fingers.

_She has never done that to me before so far. _

_She's never explored my body all that much, really._

Olivia surveyed the flared head with her nimble fingertips and spread clear beads of slick liquid over it with her thumb.

She delighted in feeling Eugene shudder.

His hands instinctively clenched her hips tightly as he slowly rocked his pelvis forward and back with the rhythm of Olivia's palms.

She felt at once powerful and vulnerable as the object of his lust.

_-Please stop… If you… If you keep it up like that… I'm gonna lose it, Olivia_-he said in a trembling voice. -_Turn around. Trust me. You're in for a treat._-he added gently.

Peter maneuvered Olivia's hips and she reluctantly released her throbbing prisoner as she obeyed.

Olivia felt his fingers began to firmly knead her tensed muscles, his thumbs working the flesh along her spine and she sighed in bliss.

Olivia loved the way Eugene massaged her taut, hardened body.

A cool draft drifted around her puffy areolas, raising goose bumps across her flesh.

Then Peter held her close, pressing her back onto his chest.

He cupped her soft breasts from behind and his fingers scissored her plump nipples.

Olivia sighed deeply as she felt them steadily, gradually harden.

Peter worked the sensitive tips with his thumbs and tugged them gently while he daringly nibbled on her long gracious neck.

He wanted to bite it hungrily and suck on it, but he desisted after having heard Olivia's muffled protest.

-Eugene… Don't… Please don't give me hickeys… Tomorrow I… I have to go to work and I don't want everyone to see…

-_Okay_.

She giggled after having noticed the disappointed, resigned tone in Eugene's voice.

His devilish hands then lazily caressed and teased her throat, breasts, and tummy.

_Well I'll take what I can get, in that case, Miss No-Hickeys._

-_You're gorgeous_, he told her. -_You know that, right_?

Peter then placed Olivia to lie on her back yet again.

It didn't escape his attention that she was in fact shivering like a leaf.

_She's traumatized from that fucking tank._

_Cursed be the moment when I let her get in there._

He whispered in her ear as soothingly as he could.

He told her how special, how precious, how dear she was to him.

How he loved staring at her shy smile and caressing her thick, sleek, honey colored hair. The way her huge leaf green eyes crinkled when she laughed.

The way she chewed her lip when she was nervous.

The graceful lines of her body.

The cute way her ass wiggled when she walked.

He told her all these things as his hands whispered over her bare skin, calming Olivia down and relaxing her completely.

Olivia squeezed her thighs together tightly as an electrical charge coursed from her erect points to her trilling pussy.

She trembled and her breathing became shallow when his fingers found the rise of her mound.

Steady, circular motions over the smooth flesh stirred vibrations in her clit.

Peter found the outline of her tiny bump and lingered there, softly, tenderly heating her bud. He slowly reached lower, running a finger up and down the soaked groove.

It was the first time in many years that Peter was doing it this slow and careful with anyone.

He thought of Tess and their first time.

_About the only time we took it slow since from then on we humped each other like rabbits or like dogs in heat._

_Sex with Olivia is unlike anything I had experienced with Tess… _

_With Tess it was always more about two witty minds dueling, about bodies incessantly sating their constant horniness, fighting over supremacy, teasing each other like friends in play, while with Olivia it's somehow instinctive, sweet, gradual and it leads to a spontaneous combustion, to union of two bodies becoming one._

Olivia let out a loud, passionate groan as a reaction to the movements of his forefinger, and she was fleetingly embarrassed that Eugene should see her in this condition; but every nerve ending in her body screamed for him to continue.

-Eugene, you've got me so wet that I-she moaned. -I… oh….

Olivia had never before experienced this type of agonizingly slow, powerful arousal and she was dying to prolong it.

It took all of her willpower to keep her hands laced around his neck and not entangle them in his hair since she knew very well he told her not to and she wanted to respect her promise.

Olivia's knees weakened and she clung to him when his palm raked through her scarce, neatly lined pubic hair and found the slick, hooded flesh that protruded from her lips.

A single finger slipped along her glistening channel and penetrated her.

It probed her tentatively, thoroughly exploring her most intimate place while Peter's thumb meekly stroked her slippery clit in regular motion but never increasing neither the pressure nor the speed.

-Ohhh… You're gonna make me…-Olivia whispered, last word lost in a shrill gasp his touch managed to coax from her lips.

When Peter positioned his head between her legs, Olivia grasped his shoulders, and pressed her wispy muff to his face.

He held her close with his hands around her firm buns as he inhaled her feminine lure.

Olivia felt a warm trickle on her inner thighs as Peter separated her cheeks and sank his fingers into the crack of her ass.

She moved her feet apart to allow his wet, warm tongue to momentarily tease, flick and tickle her growing clit.

Suddenly, seconds later, Peter sat back on his heels and took Olivia by her hands.

-_Come here_-he inquired breathlessly.

_I need to drive her crazy._

Olivia let out a grunt of displeasure, wanting Eugene to continue with what he was doing, but she eventually did as he told her.

She folded down onto him, straddling his thighs.

Olivia felt the hardness of his cock straining against her belly.

She instinctively locked her ankles behind his back and rocked her pelvis, grinding her slippery pussy on the invisible column of hot flesh.

Peter moaned in an instantaneous reaction, rolling his hips, letting Olivia rock relaxingly on top of him without penetrating her.

He thrust his buttocks and thighs powerfully, lifting her upward with each stroke.

She began to feel something strange inside her, a connection that was formed between her and Eugene, as the shimmering underside of his penis warmed her pussy.

Olivia looked down, imagining the smooth head and rigid shaft that at that very moment rode along her darkened, swollen lips.

She continued to burnish her clit on his cock, slathering it with her intimate secretions.

The delirious friction and splashy sounds of rubbing genitals brought her to the brink.

-Eugene…-she mewled. –You feel even bigger than usual. I always wonder before we do it… Is this… Will this will fit inside me?-Olivia said breathlessly, before biting her lip hard.

Peter found it hard to talk.

-_Ow. Of course it will_, he panted. -_And…Unngh… It'll feel really… good. I will take it slowly this time. I promise._

Eugene's breath warmed her neck and throat.

Perspiration had broken across their bodies while they tangled and writhed together.

Olivia loved the moist, intimate contact of skin on skin, his masculine scent.

It was always nice to make love to Eugene.

But the foreplay was equally good.

The rhythmical prelude, the introduction to the complex musical composition of sex and to the multifaceted entanglement of their limbs…

The upwards-downwards motion dragged her burning, distended nipples across the scattered wisps of hair on his chest.

When she simply couldn't hold on anymore, Olivia slowly spread her legs, falling onto her back and powerlessly letting her knees open.

She closed her eyes as she felt Eugene lowering his head.

Holding up her calves, he licked the moisture from her inner thighs and kissed the curve of her buttocks.

She felt his fingers rhythmically knead the flesh on both sides of her folds and heard the squishy sounds of her lips rubbing together.

Eugene was obviously out to destroy her.

His lips lightly grazed her labia and the heat of his breath made her quiver.

Olivia tried to keep from wriggling, to keep her legs open wide for his advances, but apparently Eugene was in no hurry to give her any form of relief.

Whole her body and her mind were entuned to his touch and Olivia thought that, if what she wanted was a distraction, a distraction was precisely what she got.

She couldn't think of anything else.

She merely expected his next touch, and the next one, and the one after that…

Two fingers pressed down near the top of her slit.

She could feel her slippery pearl emerge from its sheath.

Olivia moaned when the tip of his warm, wet muscle travelled the length of her tingling crevice, lingering each time to caress her throbbing clit.

Hands hooked on the joint of Olivia's hips and legs, he greedily licked her pussy with the flat of his tongue.

Tiny spasms erupted inside Olivia as Eugene pressed his open mouth on her sex and steadily, tenderly sucked and licked her plumping bud.

He seemed lost in the moment, his moans adding to the vibrations that rang through her pussy.

Olivia felt a deep heat spread through her body and her breathing became ragged. Her feet found Eugene's broad shoulders and she pushed her body higher.

Suddenly, she stiffened; her eyes flew open.

Peter placed his hands inside her thighs, holding them apart.

He sank his tongue into Olivia as she came, snaking it around her tunnel, lapping the seeping nectar from her pulsing walls.

He loved the way she tasted.

Eyes closed, Olivia was aware of the body poised over her, strong and tensed, and the popping triceps that supported its weight.

Her hands caressed the sleek muscles that ran alongside Eugene's taut core.

She felt the blunt head of his penis graze her wispy pubic hair as he moved and she felt the familiar, pleasing sensations of her body preparing for him.

She opened her eyes.

-_Are you alright?_

-Mmm-she nodded.

-_Did it feel good for you?_

-It felt beautiful-Olivia confirmed shyly.

-_Good, because I think I really need to be inside you no_w- he said with a chuckle. _-That okay with you?_

Olivia giggled.

Peter slid backward and kneeled upright between her legs, spreading his knees.

Olivia became giddy, knowing she was about to take Eugene's big cock inside her.

She bent her knees and playfully rubbed his ribs with her ankles and calves.

Peter pushed her feet and Olivia's knees folded onto her chest, curling her ass off the floor. He shifted his hips to lay his stiffened column along the darkened lips of her pussy.

Smiling mischievously, he moved it forward and back between her legs in a slow tease, the ridged head tripping over her swollen clit.

Olivia waggled her hips and groaned in delicious agony.

He pressed the backs of her smooth thighs and adjusted his position.

Olivia trembled involuntarily when she felt the blunt head of his manhood nudge and part her lips.

Her mouth fell open and she inhaled sharply as he slowly entered her.

She felt his tapered head squeeze into her tightness, followed by his thick, rippled column.

For some reason, even though they had sex just last night, tonight she was drier and Eugene wasn't easy to handle at first.

As if she wouldn't open up physically as well as mentally.

It seemed as if he'd sensed it because he advanced cautiously; he stretched her opening and expanded her slick walls.

Peter took his time, his cock gradually advancing deeper with each extremely controlled stroke.

Olivia actually felt her slippery muscles resist and quiver along its path before eventually giving way.

Peter steadily, patiently impaled her.

He understood that some kind of mental blockade had been created in Olivia's mind and that it needed to be breached.

_She's afraid… She's not up for it tonight but she needs sex to… _

_Forget…And she's forcing herself to…Sleep with me…_

_Wow, Bishop. You're such an expert on Olivialogy. A gold medal for ya, chum. _

She slowly adjusted to the feeling of fullness and the suddenly unfamiliar sensation of Eugene's long organ lazily pushing at her cervix.

-God, that's… different-she breathed out.

-_Different how? Good? Bad?-_Peter was concerned, ready to stop immediately if she told him to.

-It… I was anxious at first, I don't know why, I'm sorry, but now… It's good… It's amazing-she sighed finally giving herself away to his touch and Peter smiled proudly in the darkness.

_No sweat, my pet. _

_Leave it to me to banish the evil shadows away from you._

_How ironic._

_Cause I am one of those shadows-_he hung his head in defeat.

Peter could feel she was still a bit nervous and it made him sad.

It was all better now, though, when Olivia finally relaxed in his embrace.

He planted his hands near her ribs, and hooked her legs over his arms.

He leaned forward, pulling her bottom higher and changing the angle of his penetration.

Olivia dug her nails into Eugene's shoulders when he lifted his head and began to mate with her using long, slow powerful strokes.

_God, this feels so good_, she thought.

She loved his animal-like intensity and grace, the fluid, focused, rhythmical power of his hips and buttocks.

Peter dipped his head and slipped her nipple in his mouth while he fucked her.

She met his thrusts with her own, reveling in the wonderful, wet sounds of sex.

Soon enough, Olivia's legs began to shake as Eugene's thick shaft deep-massaged her needy dampness.

Her breathing grew deeper and her nipples screamed from the touch of Eugene's chest. What began as a spasm around his cock became a tingling sensation over her entire body.

It moved quickly like a fast acting drug, waves of heat and pleasure pushing all conscious thought from her brain.

Olivia suddenly felt her hips buck uncontrollably and her arms and legs tighten around Eugene's surging frame.

Every part of her body seemed to be a raw nerve.

From seemingly incredibly long distance, she heard his voice scream her name.

-_Oh God, Olivia…I'm done for…_

Peter threw back his head, sinews bursting from his neck.

Olivia felt his cock pulse violently and his buttocks clench as he blindly pushed as deeply as he could, hungry for release.

She knew he was exploding, depositing his load of hot semen into her body with powerful, throbbing bursts.

He lay on top of her for a short while after he orgasmed, their breathing slowly returning to normal.

She liked the warm Eugene's weight on her body.

Peter then withdrew his cock to a sucking sound, making Olivia feel oddly empty.

He rolled over, panting heavily and Olivia instantly clambered on top of him, needily resting her head on his chest.

Before Peter could even ask her how it was for her, she fell asleep.

He cast a brief glance on his wrist watch and relaxed after having seen he had another half an hour of invisibility left.

He chuckled lightly at the sight of Olivia sound asleep.

_I left her exhausted._

_This slow sex thingy wasn't so bad after all._

_Except that…_ _I hate the fact that I have to make love to her in silence. _

_It fucking makes me feel like a cripple._

_All the words, all the endearments I'd spontaneously use with her like: doll, honey or sweetheart are my own._

_If I started saying them Olivia might begin to suspect something._

The fluttering of her eyelids proved him she still lay firmly dormant.

_REM phase._

_Well I hope she'll have a pleasant dream. _

_Or… That she has at least fallen into a dreamless sleep._

_Everything's better than nightmares._

Peter suddenly realized how fully, how completely invested he was in everything what had been happening to Olivia on that day.

_What a sweet, concerned gentleman I turned out to be._

_Bishop…You're officially a goner. _

_From an internationally recognized badass… _

_To a mellow puppy-eyed loverboy. _

_There's no lower a dishonest pussy-loving heartless criminal can sink._

_This Tin Man has visited The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and got his heart._

_A blood-frenzied dire wolf has become a domesticated, tale-wiggling dog._

He sighed, returning his attention to her perfect nude body covered in fine layer of sweat. The air in the bedroom was slowly beginning to cool off after their love-making and Peter caringly started wrapping naked Olivia up in a warm blanket.

_The only thing she needs now is to catch a cold. _

_She had spent almost an hour in that cold saline water today and then she went out to the Bureau offices because of that sketch, without even having dried her hair properly._

As she sensed his movements she moaned quietly in protest, thinking that Eugene was already leaving and Peter laughed, whispering into her ear, promising that he still wasn't going to go anywhere for the time being.

That seemed to calm Olivia down and her slow breathing resumed as she sank into a slumberland yet again.

Peter's restless fingers then boldly came out from their original hideout in her soft hair, and he clutched her tighter in his arms, like some kind of precious toy.

He sneakily began to touch her feet, her calves, her thighs, her arms and her face, as if determined to make sure that all of her parts were still there, that she was still whole and unharmed. Unbowed, unbent, unbroken.

He winced and swore under his breath after having encountered the ugly bulging electrode scar on her lovely neck.

_That just soo doesn't belong there._

His fingers then daringly, teasingly started to roam the yet unknown terrain of her face of their own volition.

It was the only part of Olivia's body Peter was still barely vaguely acquainted with and now that she was dreaming, he was freely able to explore the mysterious territory.

His digits reveled in the smoothness of her skin, in her tiny snub nose and full lips. He wanted to taste those lips, to consume them with his fire and to feel her fully in his blood.

_But what would be the point? I feel her in my blood anyway. _

_Way too much for my own good._

_I can't seem to be able to stop thinking about her._

_I want to be near her all the time._

_And I feel strangely protective of Olivia._

_Whatever am I going to do with you, crazy lady?_-Peter thought, raising her head slightly and staring at her peaceful girlish face, a bit thunderstruck.

_You are apparently only calm, safe and quiet when you sleep._

_As soon as you wake up, you probably jump up out of bed, dress up swiftly and rapidly make it to the door. _

_You skip breakfast… _

_You drive fast so that you can get to work quickly and continue analyzing the case._

_Obsessed with other people's lives._

_With little or no regard for your own._

_Now… You'll have to face your stepfather._

_Out from the frying pan and into the fire, Olivia? _

_From one danger to another._

_It's literally impossible to guard you._

_Who knows what next risky move you're going to have to make?_

_I was definitely calmer when Olivia was solving cases by travelling to and visiting another country than when she's been looking for clues by visiting another level of her consciousness and endangering her existence._

_Or not._

_It was the same angst._

_Only back then I didn't know what it was._

_Thought it was just an irritation of a hunter when a different person takes down his prey._

_Now here we are… A month later… _

_And I still haven't killed my prey._

_Or walked away from it._

_I'm playing around with it, pleasing it and defending it instead._

_Fun times._

Everything suddenly seemed dreadfully silent around them, no sound could be heard but the ill-omened wind outside and vertical moving of his own chest.

For an instant, Peter almost believed that he was the only one breathing in the room.

He knew it was a stupid, foolish thought, but apparently, Olivia was breathing so quietly that he got the urge to place his head on her chest and check if she's really alive.

He didn't do it in the end, discarding such action as something utterly foolish, but he did pull her closer, tighter to his chest.

_Ten more minutes._

_Your time is ticking away…_

_Evaporating, to be more precise._

_Methinks I see the wanton hours flee, and as they pass they turn back and laugh at me. _

_It's running out slowly, but securely and relentlessly like the grains of the sand in an hourglass. _

_Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock._

_You fucking idiot._

_Hold her, hold her while you can, you goddamned fool._


	20. White Knight

**Hi guys, sorry about the delay in the update, I have been travelling a lot lately, so I didn't have time to write at all. **

**Anyhoo, here's a new chapter for you, it's not too long but it's something… **

**I'll try and update more often from now on… **

**This story is turning out to be longer than I expected, eventually, it could even have between 6 and 10 additional chapters… **

**Happy reading. **

**EVEN **though after getting back home from Olivia's apartment Peter drank a tall glass full of warm milk, took a long, relaxing hot shower, and dove under the soft sheets, listening to the soothing rhythmical sound of the ocean waves, he couldn't fall asleep.

The Sandman simply wouldn't come with his bag full of magical sand.

He was obsessively thinking about what Tess had told him several hours ago in front of the lab.

Those thoughts he inadvertently wandered into promptly became a time machine that carried him to the past.

Peter was yet again an insecure, pimply, chubby-faced teenager, a mere fifteen-year-old, masking his sadness and fears with an eternal feigned impish grin, smoking pot behind the school building with seventeen-year-old Tess in secret, degustating different alcoholic drinks every day, determined to try 365 different ones before his sixteenth birthday.

_It was her idea and it was fun._

_We did get to 365. _

_Shots and kisses alike._

_I remember that Tess would take a sip of beer; then I would shove my tongue in her mouth, taste both her and the liquor simultaneously._

_At that time, I didn't know which one was more intoxicating. _

_I can still vividly picture the first time Tess walked into our classroom. _

_She was two years behind with the program. _

_A nervous new girl from the orphanage in a hand-me-down flowery dress she hated, with a troubled look about her, wearing a perpetual broken smile._

_Beauty queen of only fifteen. I was thirteen back then._

_I remember my jaw-no, hang on-all our jaws dropped at the sight of Tess._

_Lovely brown eyed lass with a wheat-colored hair._

_Guess she was the one who firmly set the predilection in my mind for the blonds, huh?_

_If we kids were jerking off on biology teacher's boobs at that time, from that moment on we were fully converted. _

"_Be nice to Tess"-teacher said. "She has changed a lot of schools, she has come to our class from an orphanage. You know what it was like for you on your first day. Help her adapt, help her fit in". _

_He didn't have to tell us twice. _

_Everyone was nice to Tess. _

_Well, at least all the boys who were drooling over her hoping they'd eventually get some after couple of years. _

_The girls didn't look too happy as far as I can recall_-Peter sniggered.

_I fell for her too._

_The victory was hers without Tess ever having to fire a bullet._

_And couple of months later, when the lab fire incident occurred…._

_Her presence and the kid's crush I had on Tess was what kept me going during the day._

_What distracted me, forbade me to dwell on my darker thoughts, to feel the strong disappointment in the man who meant the world to me._

_Walter._

_But I was more realistic than other boys._

_She was older than us. _

_She wasn't going to smooch around with runny nosed brats._

_That wasn't a reason why I couldn't enjoy her company and ogle her, was it?_

_And that was how it started._

_The calvary of Peter Bishop._

_My eloquence and my gift of gab were what helped me get closer to Tess._

_And my stupid clown jokes, probably._

_At first she looked at me as if I were out of my mind._

_But in time Tess learned to appreciate the fact I was always able to make her laugh._

_To mend the genuiness of that broken smile of hers._

_She started hanging out with me all the time._

_And I wasn't a looker then as I am now. _

_Other boys were wondering what she saw in a blotchy fatso like me._

_I wondered the same but never said it out loud._

_Maybe she enjoyed spending time with me because I was always there for her._

_Well I was a good listener._

_I had to be. I had a good practice._

_I listened to Elizabeth all night when she talked about Walter._

_About how much she missed him. _

_And I listened to Tess all day._

_She talked…_

_About her childhood._

_A newborn dumped in front of the orphanage doors._

_She never found out who her parents were. Probably some poor immigrants who had too many children and couldn't afford to feed another mouth._

_On a card that was left on her, a message clearly stated parents wanted her to be named Tess Amaral. _

_The tutors at the orphanage could only tell her that apparently Amaral was a fairly common Portuguese last name. They knew nothing else._

_Amaral. A kind of a black grape. From Latin "amarus". Bitter._

_No one ever adopted her and after couple of years she stopped hoping she'd ever leave that place before she was eighteen._

_All the newlyweds wanted babies, not adult girls. _

_She became disappointed, embittered like her last name._

_She did everything out of spite._

_She started failing at school._

_And she was the one who taught me that taunting authority will make you feel better._

_Because it gets you the attention you subconsciously crave._

_A negative kind of attention but still._

_If you can't be best at something…_

_Why not be the worst? _

_That's a success as well._

_I started failing exams with her._

_Ditching school._

_We even began our little competition-which of us would have lower grades in the end of school year._

_The teacher told Elizabeth that Tess had a bad influence on me._

_But Mom thought it was just a phase in my life, that I was being difficult because of all what happened with Walter. _

_She didn't have the heart to tell me to stop being around her. _

_To take away the only person that made me feel radiant, alive._

_Elizabeth was actually sorry for Tess and she kinda liked her blunt, direct demeanor._

_Not to mention that she loved the wide grin that would appear on my face at the sight of Tess._

_The smile that was almost never there in those months after Walter's abandonment and before the sad-eyed girl waltzed into my life._

_Whenever Tess would throw pebbles on my window at night or timidly knock on our door during the day, Mom would invite her in, to come and say her piece; she'd give her a bite to eat. _

_Rufus was fond of her too, maybe because she'd always bring him leftovers from her lunch in the orphanage._

_The house didn't seem like a cold, silent grave that much with Tess around._

_After two years of friendship it finally happened._

_She fell for me too. Or at least it seemed like it._

_It was a good year. _

_1993. _

_The setting sun… _

_The music…_

_Tess and I holding hands._

_Drinking cans in faint orange light._

_Summer breeze…_

_Feeling free._

_Kissing for the first time._

_She was the first one who told me I had beautiful eyes._

_No girl had ever said anything that nice to me before._

_And she added that I'm going to be every girl's heartthrob one day._

_Ha-ha._

_She was right. A smart cookie, that one._

_God, we were so innocent, giddy, lightheaded. _

_Adolescents._

_We couldn't see the harshness of the real world because the sun was in our eyes._

_We thought everything was possible, that nothing was gonna get us… _

_That everything was touchable…_

_That nothing was gonna beat us in this life._

_It was alright._

_We wanted to get a full taste of life. _

_To try everything._

_And we did. You name it._

_Drugs. Alcohol._

_Sex._

_We fucked like rabbits._

_She was my first._

_I wasn't hers._

_I didn't request to know who got to take her virginity in the meantime, because I had a feeling I wasn't going to like the answer._

_And I knew Tess probably hated that answer as well._

_So there was no point in me asking, was there?_

_Tess taught me the basics of sex and I just took it from there… _

_Experimented like a true scientist._

_Daddy's boy_-Peter chuckled acrimoniously.

_I made Tess delightfully scream in orgasmic pleasure night after night._

_We readily put the theoretical Kamasutra knowledge of 64 different positions to practice. _

_She called me sweet… Caring. _

_Said she really started depending on me. Needed me to make it through her day. Heck, through the lousy life she led._

_I felt exactly the same. Never told her that because of the superstitious fear that nested in my chest. I was afraid that if I said it out loud, the magic would be broken. I was scared that we wouldn't last._

_Boy, that was helluva premonition right there._

_Cause soon after that he showed up._

_Tall, scrawny, unsightly, rat-faced stuttering eighteen-year-old coward… Rich. Spoiled. Loaded with cash. _

_Michael Kelly._

_He was used to point to something with his finger and get it._

_And it was just my bad luck that his finger pointed to Tess._

_He approached her as a friend first. Became interested in her story. Kinda like me._

_And then he started bringing her gifts. _

_Rings, bracelets… Once he even bought her a dress._

_To replace the flowery one she hated._

_And she took them all._

_Never mind me. _

_You know, her boyfriend._

_She told me they were just friends. That Michael was simply nice to her._

_I was incredibly jealous._

_He was uglier than me, that much was certain, especially since I kinda lost weight and my chubby-cheekness when I turned 16, but he was older. And richer._

_And I always felt I didn't deserve Tess. I was so damn insecure._

_I don't know up to this day if my lack of self-confidence was what ruined us or a new red Mercedes Michael's daddy bought him for his nineteenth birthday._

_Or was it the sudden invitation to live at his place he sprang up on her._

_Wish I had thought of that before._

_But Tess might have still chosen his villa over our 50 square meters tiny rented house. _

_Was that the turning point in my life? _

_The moment when I realized that girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money…_

_When it made me embittered and cynical towards love; it made me doubt its existence._

_After all… Tess was finally 18, like she always wanted. _

_It was a time to toss the dice._

_The magical number that would solve all of her problems._

_My poor Cinderella. _

_Tess just sat there in her heartache waiting on some beautiful boy to save her from her old ways._

_And then Michael came._

_He didn't look a thing like Jesus._

_But he talked like a gentleman, like she imagined when she was young._

_She could leave the orphanage and that was precisely what she did._

_Tess started living with Michael._

_Tit for tat._

_Or should I say: tits for money?_

_The famous exchange I always go on about in my mind. _

_Tess was the one who made me think that way._

_Fine, we were kids, what did we know about life?_

_But three years of friendship…_

_One year of relationship…_

_It suddenly all went down the drain._

_I was so fucked up back then when she ditched me for him. _

_I almost started doing heavy drugs._

_I used to get drunk each night and vomit in my mother's arms._

_Two broken souls, Elizabeth and I; hugging each other, rambling on about the abandonment and yet not managing to find the solace one in another._

_I became a true loner at school._

_Stopped studying altogether. _

_And then I dropped it. _

_There was nothing Mom could do to make me get back there._

_I mean… _

_No one with a decent education had ever gotten a good job._

_You can't really get a job unless you know someone influential, no matter how many degrees you have._

_I already knew that and I thought: "What's the point in studying then anyway?"_

_I just wanted easy money. I wanted to be as rich as Michael was. _

_Well… As his daddy was._

_Some of us are born with a silver spoon in our mouth. _

_Song by "The Killers" kinda became my motto:_

"_Pay my respects to grace and virtue_

_Send my condolences to good_

_Give my regards to soul and romance_

_They always did the best they could_

_And so long to devotion_

_You taught me everything I know_

_Wave goodbye, wish me well_

_You've gotta let me go"_

_That's when they got me. The Rednecks._

_Boston's finest criminal gang._

_They happened to be recruiting foolish disillusioned youngsters like myself. _

_And I fell into their trap._

_Not like I cared. I even think I subconsciously wanted to get caught. _

_It was all about belonging to a group. Being part of something. Doing silly, illegal stuff and blaming the others' influence for them._

_The hierarchy of our clan, of the criminal gang that enlisted the help of reckless, stupid teenagers who were eager for getting some easy money paired up with the sense of belonging…_

_Resembled a neatly organized wolf pack._

_There was old man Tobias. _

_Papa Tobby._

_The Alpha._

_Harsh, cold, calculated. Strong willed. But fair._

_I was his Beta. I ran next to him during all our successful raids. _

_How couldn't I have been? _

_I was the smartest wolf of the dumb lot. _

_The fastest, the cleverest, the one with nimble fingers. _

_There was no task he could place in front of me that I couldn't perform._

_Pretty soon, Papa Tobby trusted me up to the point he would let me lead the gang instead of him, even though I was only 17 at the time. I could have inherited the Rednecks leadership if I had wanted it._

_But the event that made my jaw drop…_

_Occurred on the day when Tess and Michael walked in through the door of our improvised office._

_It turned out that Michael's daddy had earned all of his filthy illegal money exclusively with Papa Tobby's help._

_And he couldn't give any of it back._

_So it was a payback time._

_That was how Michael was enlisted in the gang, the dumbass. _

_And poor Tess fell in along with him. _

_Well…_

_Poor Tess. I don't know if that's exactly the right choice of words._

_She was actually better at it than he was._

_However…_

_I immediately noticed something was wrong with her._

_Tess seemed quiet, distant and bothered._

_And one evening she opened up to me. _

_Tess admitted everything._

_Oh how she cried. _

_She showed me all the scars and bruises that sadistic animal Michael inflicted upon her for absolutely no reason at all, just for the fun of it. _

_And I consoled her the best I could. _

_With my words. _

_With my arms._

_With sex._

_Which promptly became a regular escape from a dull, boring everyday life of crime._

_I was a fool when I started hoping it could become something more. _

_I thought she was actually going to leave him and come back to me._

_We were even talking about earning enough money and starting a new life together somewhere, far from Boston. _

_But when we finally had enough…_

_When it was time to go away…_

_Tess admitted she couldn't leave him._

_That she had gotten used to him._

_Damned her stupid masochistic female nature. _

_I reacted to her treason the only way I know how by then-with a fierce retaliation and abandonment._

_Complete desertion._

_So I left on my own._

_Didn't turn around, not for a second._

_Didn't write, didn't call. _

_I travelled around the world._

_Missed my own mother's funeral, for that matter. _

_Became a low life vagabond._

Peter chuckled in the darkness.

_It's not like I hadn't been one in the first place._

_And now we meet again._

_Tess and I._

_Face to face._

_Eleven effin' years later._

_In totally different circumstances. _

_She was here to warn me of that dickhead Michael, who in the meantime has become the leader of the gang._

_Like I care about his stupid threats._

_The saddest thing of them all is…_

_That she is still with him._

"_To be able to leave him I need support of my friends and family. And I have none."_

_That's what she said._

_And it hit me square in the head. _

_Talk about pointing fingers and calling names._

_But goddamit, she's right._

_I betrayed her. Not that she didn't backstab me first._

_But I betrayed her._

_And I promised her long ago I'd watch her back._

_Something must be done about it._

_But what?_

_I have to help Tess._

_If only I knew how._

The plan was born in Peter's mind bright and early on the following morning, without him even dwelling on its potential creation too much.

By noon, it had already become a teenager and in the afternoon, it was ripe for the undertaking, whispering temptingly its pre-arranged steps into Peter's ear.

_The only language thugs know, love and understand is the language of violence. So… Let's talk, Michael Kelly._

-Walter, I'm stepping out of the house for an hour or two. Don't break anything while I'm gone and don't leave the place, do ya hear me?-Peter shouted at his drowsy father as he passing through the living room.

-Okay…-Walter muttered in response, staring at the TV screen.

-What are you watching? Is it Sponge Bob again?

-Oh, no. I am actually watching the documentary on gorilla reproduction.

-Animal sex on Discovery channel? Sure, go for it-Peter burst out laughing. –And don't masturbate on the carpet again, do you hear me? I really can't clean that up anymore. Bathroom is your best option, remember that, old man.

-Okay-Walter replied absentmindedly at the same time as the door closed behind his son.

**PETER **was driving fast through the crowded streets of Boston after having taken a serum from the lab and tucking it safely in the pocket of his blue jeans.

It was around six p.m. and people were coming back from work, so it was hard to maneuver around, but he was managing it pretty well anyway.

He knew where Michael Kelly lived by heart. He could have even driven there with his eyes closed.

_It's time to save the day._

_Ladies and gentlemen. _

_Well isn't this a surprise._

_I am about to become a white knight._

_That's something new._

_A syndrome I have never had._

_To see a maiden in distress and to immediately believe I have to help her._

_Follow the dying code of chivalry and behave like a nice guy._

_That is so not me._

_But._

_Whatevers._

_I owe her one._

_Big time._

_And I care for Tess._

_So Michael Kelly is gonna get what's coming to him._

Just before Peter entered Michael's place, he injected himself with the serum, promptly becoming invisible.

The lights were on but there was no noise coming from either of the rooms.

He wondered if Tess was at home and then he heard an unmistakable sound of coughing.

_It's him_-Peter thought, heading towards the kitchen.

_He's even uglier than I remember. That bulldog-faced son of a bitch._

Rage boiled in his chest imagining those sausage-like fingers straining around Tess's neck and Peter grabbed him from behind, pressing the faithful blade of his knife to Michael's throat.

-_Michael Kelly, you have failed this city-_he whispered in a guttural voice, complimenting himself on a clever witty usage of a phrase from "Green Arrow" comics.

-Bishop-Michael sneered and Peter froze on the spot.

_How the hell does he know it's me?_

-You're probably wondering how the hell I know it's you, aren't you?

_What, he can read minds too now?_-Peter wondered but said nothing, letting Michael show all the cards instead.

-I know you're in town Bishop, even though that stupid dwarf wasn't eager to discover your whereabouts. I made do with my own sources.-Michael licked his lips, apparently unperturbed by the cold steel that was cutting into his Adam's apple. -We've been following you around for quite a while and the discovery my spies have made is… Let's just say… Extremely intriguing. They have seen you injecting yourself with something and then becoming invisible. That was an interesting piece of information I got… I also know that dumb bitch went to warn you about me yesterday, but she'll get what's coming to her.

-_Don't talk about her like that, you piece of human trash!_-Peter shouted, cutting into Kelly's throat, and blood started flowing on the white tiles of the kitchen floor.

He suddenly stopped when he heard Michael gurgling, not wanting to actually kill him, not wanting him to faint due to the loss of blood, and then he promptly threw him on the ground, blind with fury.

Peter didn't know what overcame him. His legs seemed as if they belonged to a different person. He was kicking Michael in the head, in the stomach, in the groin, wherever he could reach him and he wasn't able to stop, not until he heard him mewling softly, pleading for mercy.

_-Don't you ever touch her again-_Peter muttered menacingly, pulling away from the beaten bloodied mass of meat that was now Michael Kelly.

He hastily ran out of the building, passing through the door, and then he leaned on the lamp post, breathing heavily.

_I am a monster_-Peter thought.

_He… He might bleed out. Shit. Shit man. You… You're an animal Bishop, and no better than he is._

Peter was sick with himself. With the evil that glinted behind his pupils, with the malevolence of his soul.

_Sure, it was all for a good cause, I wanted to defend Tess, but… It was equally bad. It's like an electric chair. Let's kill the killer, people. Now how does that make us any better?_

He leaned his forehead on the lamppost and started vomiting.

Peter wondered what were the passers-by thinking, seeing vomit falling on the pavement from out of nowhere.

_I need to cleanse myself of this madness._

_I need… Olivia. I need that pure, spotless soul of hers._

_To forget what I've just done._

_Perhaps I have killed the man._

_Kicking him like that, cutting his throat._

_Not being able to control my low violent urges._

_Maybe I'm a murderer._

He walked towards Olivia's apartment, trembling and sweating, feeling simultaneously hot and cold.

It took Peter around twenty minutes to get there. It was half past six in the afternoon but it was already getting dark. Peter knew he had around half an hour of invisibility left.

He briefly wondered whether she was at home and his lips widened in a genuine smile when he saw the lights in her window.

_So she hasn't stayed in the office until too late even though we're in the middle of the case._

_That's just my good luck, I guess._

_Sheer dumb luck._

_My angel._

_I need you so much._

Peter closed his eyes having realized how he subconsciously called Olivia in his mind, and he pushed that thought away as far as he could.

He was well aware he wasn't going to be able to ignore what he felt forever, but Peter hated it when his own thoughts would betray him out of the blue.

_I'm calling her like that because I'm fucked up right now._

_And I need a fix of her soft tender voice._

_Of her comprehensive eyes._

_I need Olivia Dunham soothing me, telling me everything is going to be okay._

His feet carried him up to the second floor.

But Peter stopped in surprise when he saw the door of Olivia's apartment was wide open.

He could see her living room was in a complete mess.

All the drawers were pulled out and many books, papers and clothes were carelessly thrown all over the floor.


	21. A Knife In The Dark

**PETER'S **heart suddenly stopped in fright as it forgot how to pump blood. He couldn't think about a thing, he couldn't breathe.

Peter was choking. He had no idea what to do. He felt incredibly desperate.

_Olivia._

That was the only thing on his mind.

He literally flew into her apartment, desperately searching for something, anything…

Any clue that might tell him what had actually transpired here.

_What the fuck?_

_Her apartment has been broken into._

_Had someone taken her away?_

_Has anyone harmed her?_

_Where is she now?_

Muttering in low voice could be heard from the direction of Olivia's bedroom so he hurried towards it, jumping over various items on the floor, blind for anything else, deciding to investigate its source.

His suspicions were confirmed. Whoever the intruder was… He was still in the apartment.

A short, thin, dark-haired man was kneeling on the floor, swearing under his breath and apparently frantically looking for something under Olivia's double bed.

-You little slut… Working for the FBI now, aren't you? Thinking you're all high and mighty. Investigating my whereabouts… Snooping for clues about what I had been doing… About the drugs I'd been trafficking… Should have drowned you in the bathtub when I had the chance… And it would have been hasta luego. You always were a meddlesome little brat… Sticking your nose where it didn't belong. It almost cost me my life… And now you're going after my freedom as well-he growled. -Where are they?-the man muttered annoyedly. -If she is safekeeping any incriminating documents… They could be right here at her place… I picked the lock… Brought the apartment upside down… And still no sign of them…Better hurry up before the blonde bitch comes back…On second thought-the man smiled slyly and went up to the front door, closing them. –I just might hide in here and wait for her, give her an especially warm welcome. Say hello to daddy's girl

Peter's blood boiled yet again at those words. He suddenly realized who the man in front of him was. He was Olivia's stepfather, and the man they had been looking for, the primary suspect in the case, George Morant.

But then Peter felt a wave of relief wash over him as he understood the situation: Morant had broken into Olivia's apartment some time prior to his arrival, obviously searching for some compromising proof on him, while Olivia was gone.

That meant he actually did her no harm seeing how she wasn't there in the first place, but he was obviously going to.

And the beast roared yet again in Peter's chest.

He jumped on the man from behind and grabbed him around the waist, pressing his knife onto his plexus.

-Hey… What…-the surprised black market trafficker muttered, trying to turn around and see who had him in his grasp, but his mouth opened wide when he wasn't able to spot anyone there, but he was still feeling the force of the squeeze and the coldness of the blade. -Where are you, you motherfucker?

-_Right where I'm supposed to be. _

-And who the fuck are you? Why can't I see you? Are you some kind of freak? The lab-made monster?

_So this is how déjà vu looks like, innit, folks? It's like Joseph Smith all over again. Again with the same old boring questions. Who are you… Why are you here… What do you want… But sure. I'll humor the prey before I gut it._

_-I am nobody. _

-What do you want from me?-Morant was trying to wriggle out of Peter's grasp but to no avail.

-_To tell me the truth._

-I don't have to tell you anything!

-_Wrong answer_-Peter muttered, pressing his knife even tighter to man's flesh.

-All right, all right…-Olivia's stepfather was quick to change his mind in the face of the imminent danger. -The truth about what?-droplets of sweat started coming out on Morant's forehead.

-_Were you going to hurt her?_

-That little cunt is whom you care about? It figures, you're just as queer as she is.

-_Don't call her like that!_-Peter hissed into his ear.

-She is a freak. Little monster, she was. You know nothing about her, probably… Well I'll tell you… One day in the kitchen, when she was eight… I came down the stairs to get a glass of water cause I was fucking thirsty… And there she was… Crouching in the corner… Like a frightened wild animal… And all the curtains, and the tablecloth… Everything was burnt. She did it. I know she did. She had some weird power to burn things. So you two ran out of the same lab? Is that what all this is about? That why you protecting the bitch? She deserves what's coming to her, you know… She almost killed me many years ago.

-_Maybe she should have killed you-_Peter could barely speak. –_And it's not wise to launch threats while another man has his knife pressed on your gut._

-You think I care? You think I'm afraid? You don't know who I am… What I am capable of… I cheated death once. I will do it again. And the biological weapon I came by thanks to some stupid lab rat who was a total sellout… Oh, suffice to say it will make you terrified… It will make you shit your pants and wish you had never been born-George Morant chuckled portentously and then he quickly spun around, holding the filled syringe in his hand.

Peter immediately realized what it was-the man obviously wanted to inject him with the high dosage of Bufo Alvarius venom and thus make him commit suicide out of fear, inflict injuries upon himself, like he made Mark Young do.

-_Now that wasn't very smart of you_-Peter muttered snarkily from completely another part of the room. –_Were you planning to surprise and stab the invisible man? Think again. What goes round… Comes round._

With those words, Peter skillfully twisted Morant's wrist and the syringe the black market trafficker was holding promptly flew down onto the floor.

Then Peter's knife lazily, vindictively dove into Olivia's stepfather's flesh, cutting into his stomach.

Strangely, this time Peter felt no remorse whatsoever.

_He deserves it. He was going to do her harm._

George Morant let out a loud yell and fell on Olivia's white rug, bleeding copiously, obviously gravely wounded.

Peter just stood there observing him contently for several seconds, feeling the righteous bells of revenge ringing in his head but then his gaze fell on his bloodied palms which were slowly becoming more and more visible and he realized what was going on.

_Shit. The invisibility time is up. And I… I haven't exerted myself like I should have… That is to say… I haven't run. I haven't had sex. Will there… Will there now be consequences and… What kind of consequences? I haven't… I haven't felt any for over a month… I can barely recall… I just remember… Feeling of hunger… Headaches… Body tremors… The first two times I took the serum. Shit… I should definitely get the fuck out of here as fast as I can… If Olivia comes back…_

His fear was justified because precisely at that moment Olivia guardedly entered her apartment, holding her Glock high up in the air, staring at all the things that were carelessly thrown around.

She advanced slowly, her eyes wary, her finger ready to press the trigger.

With the last ounce of his strength, thanking God he still hadn't become visible, Peter cautiously, soundlessly slid past Olivia and ran out through the open door and into the street, hurrying towards the first bar he could find and locking himself up in the man's restroom.

And not a moment too soon, since he started trembling violently and he had to bite down on his tongue so hard that he drew blood in order to stop himself from screaming. It felt as if dozens of live snakes were crawling around his entrails. His guts were howling out in hunger and it seemed like a heavy metal band was playing a particularly rough tune in his brain.

His flesh was firstly coming into focus and then fading away, expanding and then tightening, and the pain was simply too much to bear.

Peter fainted.

**OLIVIA **initially inspected her living room, and then the kitchen and the bathroom, but she could hear distinct cries and swears coming from the direction of her bedroom so she realized that whoever had ransacked her place, had been precisely in there at that moment.

Her gun almost fell out of her hand at the sight of her bloodied stepfather standing in the doorway. She felt as if she were nine years old again. The fear paralyzed her and she couldn't move at all.

-Well, well… If that isn't little Olive. Long time no seen.

-What the hell are you doing in my apartment? How… How dare you come in here?-her voice sounded frightened; Olivia knew it very well and she hated herself for it.

He staggered forward, leaving a longish bloody trail behind him.

-I needed to find out what leads you had on me… But… I failed-he licked his lips as his face was visibly becoming more and more pallid by the second. -Not only that you are a freak, but you hired some ghost to threaten me and to attack me… He did this to me.

-A ghost?-Olivia was wary.

-Yes, a ghost… A fuckin' invisible man. He stabbed me in a stomach. Said he was protecting you. With friends like that, who needs enemies, right, dear?

_Eugene_-Olivia thought. _It was Eugene. He… He did this to George. But… Not him… How? Why?_

A part of her rejected to believe in it.

_Eugene is so… Tame, sweet and caring… He couldn't have… He wouldn't… Would he?_

But there was no time to dwell on such thoughts since George managed only to cast yet another murderous glance in her direction and then he fell on the floor.

A sense of dread enveloped Olivia and she swiftly reached for her cell phone, calling the paramedics.

_We need him. We need him as a key witness. Even though I would gladly leave him to bleed out._

Seeing her apartment turned upside down in that way made Olivia feel vulnerable, exposed… She didn't want to stay alone in here, in this unknown place, in the place where she didn't feel safe anymore. Not with this man who was the ominous shadow from her past.

She dialed yet another phone number with her trembling hands.

**PETER'S **head was ringing, reverberating with the strange sound he seemed to recognize but he couldn't determine its origin.

He slowly opened his eyes feeling his stomach pulsate and he drowsily looked around. He was lying on the cold bathroom tiles.

Peter tried to stand up and he eventually managed to do so even though he was dangerously swaying on his feet.

His phone was ringing. He swallowed hard before picking it up, staring at Olivia's number, hoping to God his voice will sound normal now that his body had come back into focus.

-Hello-he spoke gruffly but relieved that he sounded like Peter Bishop.

-Peter-Olivia's voice bore a hint of nervousness. –Why aren't you picking up? Where are you?

-Actually… I'm in your neigbourhood. Just downing some shots in the bar. The music in here was too loud so I hadn't heard your call. Why, what's up?-he tried his damnedest to sound casual.

-Peter… I… Can you please come to my place? Right now?-she was now positively sounding scared and it wasn't very often that you could say that Olivia Dunham was scared of something or of someone.

_Did he manage to get up? I don't see how he could… I stabbed him pretty hard… But still…_

-What's wrong, Olivia?-he inquired calmly.

-George Morant… My… My stepfather is in my apartment… He's gravely wounded. And I… I am waiting for the paramedics but I…

-Say no more-he could recognize the fear in her voice. –I'll be right there.

He carefully washed his hands and his face in the washbasin, cleaned the knife and hid it in his pocket; ten minutes later, Peter eventually entered her apartment, shivering.

Olivia's eyes widened as she took in his gruff looks.

He seemed as if he had aged ten years in a mere day and he appeared to be somehow thinner… Stretched.

-Peter… You… You look awful. What… What happened to you?-she instinctively started towards him holding out her hand, wishing to touch his face but a shadow appeared in his eyes and Peter quickly moved away from Olivia's outstretched fingers.

-It's nothing-he replied stiffly. –Look, Olivia… Before you say anything… This might sound weird but… Can I have something to eat?

She motioned towards her fridge as if saying "help yourself", still eying him warily.

Peter looked as if he was going to drop down on her floor as well.

It was a miracle how he was still standing. But that was nothing in comparison with the speed with which Peter started shoveling slices of bread in his mouth without even swallowing them properly, and gulping down the jug of the cold orange juice she happened to have in the freezer, even spilling some of it on the ceramic tiles.

When he finished, Peter definitely looked a bit better.

Olivia noticed a worried glance he cast in her direction.

-Are you OK?-he inquired simply, quietly, and the depth of his concern for her was obviously mirrored in that short question.

Olivia could see he took a step towards her, making a motion as if he was going to pull out his hands from his pockets and… "

_Hug me?_-she briefly wondered, blushing; but then Peter closed his eyes as if reminding himself of something and he remained where he was, simply staring at her.

**-**Tell me.

-He… I was in the office… Going through some files… But I came home earlier tonight. The door of my apartment was opened.

Peter tried to seem surprised.

-So he broke into your place?

-Yes… Apparently, he was looking for some evidence against him… He wanted to find out how much I knew…. Where the FBI was at with the investigation.

-And?

Olivia suddenly became aware that Peter mustn't find out about Eugene.

_No one can know. He… No matter what… But… Eugene protected me. _

-He jumped on me from behind… My gun fell out of my hand… We fought… And I… I got nervous… The moment I was able to free myself from his grasp, I ran into the kitchen and grabbed the kitchen knife… I… Had to defend myself somehow, Peter.

-That is understandable-he nodded solemnly, not removing his gaze from her.

_She is lying to protect me. That is, to protect Eugene. _

-So I stabbed him and… And he fell on the floor. I was afraid… I didn't want him to bleed out… I knew he was the key witness for the case. And then I called the paramedics… After that I…-her eyes lingered on Peter's face and she was suddenly unsure of what she should say next.

Peter quickly realized what Olivia was thinking about and he smirked lazily, self-assuredly, his hands still resting in the pockets of his peacoat.

-How come you didn't call Charlie? Or Broyles?

-They… I knew they were still in New York so it would be to no avail-Olivia licked her lips. –And…-she added after a short break-I've got you on speed dial.

-I'm number one on Olivia Dunham's speed dial?-Peter's eyebrows rose high up in the air teasingly.

-Well… No… But… You… You were the first person I thought of seeing how Charlie and Broyles…-Olivia suddenly felt her cheeks reddening as she lost her train of thoughts. She lowered her head to the floor and when she finally looked up again, Olivia met his tender but intense blue eyes that caressed her in a completely new way, differently than she had ever experienced with Peter before.

She gulped a little and averted her gaze. The sirens of the paramedics who were apparently already parking their vehicle in front of her building could be heard and Olivia glanced one more time in Peter's direction, this time saying:

-We should go. I want to question him as soon as his state is stabilized.

He nodded briefly, realizing her mind was back into the old comfy boss-employee relationship. Peter had no other choice than to play along. He wordlessly followed Olivia out of the apartment.

**ONCE **in the hospital, they didn't have to wait for a long time.

George Morant regained consciousness in less than an hour, although he was breathing heavily and his face was pale due to the massive blood loss.

The doctors warned Olivia that he shouldn't exert himself too much since the wound was very deep, even though it wasn't life threatening.

Olivia assented with her head, acknowledging the advice.

Her stepfather firstly looked about wildly and then his despising eyes lingered on Olivia's face as he immediately recognized her.

-You-he spat out, seeming to recall everything. –Your freaky friend did this to me.

Peter stood right next to her like a faithful shadow.

-Watch your mouth-he growled.

-I wasn't fucking talking to you. I was talking to my dear stepdaughter.

Peter could sense the change that had befallen Olivia. She fidgeted nervously, looking like a nine-year-old girl again.

-I was the one who stabbed you-she managed to utter, feigning calm.

-The hell you were. It was him. Some guy. Your invisible buddy butchered me in the middle of your bedroom.

-You are obviously under severe duress-Olivia retorted coldly-seeing how you're talking about invisible people and such. I was the one who did it, do you hear me? I felt threatened in my own apartment. Or maybe you don't remember what happened anymore? I was aiming to incapacitate you, not to kill you. Because we need you. And now it's time for you to answer some questions.

-I am not telling you anything. Or do you think me stupid? You have no proof against me. The only thing you can charge me with is a break-in.

Olivia bit her lower lip.

_He's right._

Peter was starting to lose patience.

He approached Morant.

-The reason you broke into her apartment-he muttered barely audibly, clenching his fists, afraid that if he raised his voice for an octave higher, he might also raise his arms and hit the man. _And we don't want him to die, do we? Pity, that. _–was the search for the documents that might incriminate you, wasn't it?

-And who the fuck are you? Her guard dog and some kind of psychic? I said am not talking.

Peter reached for his peacoat pocket and pulled out a syringe with concentrated Bufo Alvarius venom he had previously salvaged.

The pallor was immediately visible on George Morant's face.

-What's wrong?-Peter inquired innocently. –This is a mere tranquilizer doctor recommended for you seeing how agitated you are. Let me use it now.

-You… How did you get that?

Olivia was equally surprised.

-Oh, so you know what this is, then?

-I…-the man started sweating copiously but then he suddenly and stubbornly shut his mouth.

-Peter…-she started. –Peter, what is that?

-This? Do not fret, milady. Nothing but a liquid Sonoran desert toad's poison glands. Which I found in your apartment. And it presumably belongs to this gentleman over here-Peter leaned casually towards Morant with a lazy smile on his face.

-Take that thing away from me!

-Peter. Peter, you can't.

-No, you can't-Peter's voice obtained a metallic, devil-may-care tone. –We may not know what this compound exactly is and how you synthesized it, but we do know one thing. We know what it does to your mind. My hand could just… accidentally slip up, the needle would enter your arm and the poison would be in your bloodstream in no time. What do you fear most… Mr. Morant?-Peter whispered into his ear ominously and Olivia's stepfather started shivering in his bed.

-Okay… Okay… Motherfucker! I'll tell you… I'll tell you all. Stupid Mark Young was a sellout… He sold me the formula so that I could start smuggling it on the black market and I paid him good cash just like I promised… We had a deal-Morant was now positively trembling. –But then the little shit got greedy and…-he started swallowing… -Asked for more money… He wanted to become the independent scientist, you see… He wanted more cash for his projects… Well I shut his mouth and I shut them forever…-upon having spoken these words, the man fainted and Peter chuckled maliciously.

-Serves him right. But we got our confession.

-Peter!-Olivia shouted at him angrily. –His vitals are spiking now…-she started glancing around anxiously, ready to call the nurse. -And he… Who knows what might happen to him now! You… You were blackmailing the key witness… He… He could die because of you! Don't you realize what you have just done?

-Olivia-he replied calmly, coldly. –We are talking about the man who used to beat your mother every day. About the man who mistreated you and constantly humiliated you, made you feel miserably when you were a child. Disturb you with his phone calls and birthday cards during the last twenty years.

-Regardless-Olivia was breathing heavily. –He… Peter… Don't. Just… Don't. I… I am afraid of you when I see you like that. When I see you wishing to torture… To do harm to another person… And this is not the first time either. I… I just don't know who you are anymore.

That made Peter stop dead in his tracks, move away from Morant's bed and stand over by the window.

A murderous glint was in his eyes when he turned towards her again and said icily:

-You got your confession, didn't you? I… I did it for you, Olivia. You even owe me a thank you. I practically cracked the case with my coercion. The only thing left for you to check out is if Mark Young was an individual sell-out, like your stepfather says, or the corruption had reached the heart of his former employers, Massive Dynamics. And another thing… You might… Disapprove of my methods but… You have to admit they work, Dunham. You would have gotten nothing with your goody two shoes approach. Nothing-he reiterated as if trying to make her see things from his point of view.

-Peter…-she closed her eyes just as the nurse was entering the room. –Please… Get out. Just… Leave me alone for… Some time. I need to clear my head… I… I'll see you at work tomorrow when… When we meet Broyles for briefing.

Having received no answer, Olivia opened her eyes only to see he was long gone through the door, without even making a sound.

**PETER **was walking hastily, angrily, along the poorly lit streets, hurrying towards the laboratory, with one goal firmly in his mind. Getting more serum.

_That's right, Olivia. Little Miss Perfect. Let someone else do your job and then behave all grossed out. You little beautiful hypocrite. How else would you have gotten that information out of him? And still I care. Still I want to help. Why, I wonder? No matter. Sense of duty has prevailed. Probably. Massive Dynamics offices, here I come._

**IT **was around eleven p.m. when Peter injected himself with yet another dosage of serum, now standing in front of Olivia's front door. The previous injection had already been spent for spying on Nina Sharp and he sniggered inwardly, incredulously, having recalled what he had discovered.

_Olivia will be glad Eugene did such a great job. And she will have a good laugh as well. Ladies and gentlemen, we may now consider this case solved. _

He was no longer cross with Olivia. Peter was just looking forward to seeing her again, to hugging her firmly and caressing her, holding her in his arms.

However, Olivia apparently wasn't angry only with Peter.

When Eugene made his presence known, Olivia strutted towards him furiously and immediately inquired:

-Eugene. How could you stab the man in the middle of your apartment? Explain yourself.


	22. Spider Web

**Hey guys, ultimately I have decided to try and update this story more often-like every two or three days or so-in order to see if that will get me my mojo back. :)**

**The plot was flowing rather nicely for some time (up to the chapter 20 or so, to be precise) and then I kinda lost my train of thoughts since I was busy and I hadn't been updating for a long while. **

**So I apologize in advance if these last few chapters hadn't been and won't be as good as the previous ones or if the character portrayal becomes "worse" :( **

**I am aware of that and I don't know if I'll be able to "raise" the quality of my writing again :( At least not for this story in particular.**

**The story will probably now look different to you than the previous parts… I even feel like I am writing a different story LOL :) **

**But it will be over soon, since the last case 1x10 "Safe" begins soon and in 4-5 chapters you are going to be able to read the end I had previously planned for our heroes…**

**As always… Happy reading.**

-_Olivia_-he replied rather breathlessly, in a defensive tone of voice. –_I understand you are angry about that. It's… It's normal… Anyone would be… I don't know what to say… How to justify myself… Except that… I did it for your own safety. And I am deeply sorry._

She bit her lower lip strongly, almost drawing blood and started walking nervously all around her living room.

Then Olivia finally stopped, after several minutes, and stared in Eugene's general direction.

-Why the hell would you do such a thing?

-_Please let me explain… I saw the lights in your apartment as I was passing by as I normally do every evening. I felt happy. That fact alone made me feel alive. It was nice to know that you were there sooner than usual. I couldn't wait to see you. To be with you. So I came upstairs to greet you and when I saw that your door was wide open, I immediately became alert; I just knew something was wrong._

-But Eugene… You could have… You could have found me in the office, you could have contacted me… You could have done anything but this… Anything but blindly, violently attacking a man you didn't even know in the middle of my bedroom… Endangering his life… Look… I… I didn't expect that from you, that is all… It was nothing like you. And then I covered for you. I said I did it. Because I… Well I was furious. But not that furious so as to betray your identity… I couldn't… I wouldn't do that to you. Not ever. I remembered when you told me how… How you felt in that laboratory and I was certain if a story about the invisible man leaked out, everyone would be determined to get you… To experiment on you once again… And I couldn't… I didn't want them to do that to you, Eugene. Despite what you did… You saved my life.

-_Thank you, Olivia. I… Thank you. I know my actions aren't justified. I understand. You don't realize how afraid I was when I saw your apartment like that… I thought… Someone might have harmed you… Someone might have taken you away… And then I heard his sly, conniving voice… I found him in your bedroom, rummaging through your clothes… He was muttering all sorts of curses… He was calling you a slut… Threatening under his breath… I supposed he was a criminal but I had no idea who exactly he was, why he was at your place… What he was looking for… I just knew that the man wanted you harm. So I… I don't know what came over me… I grabbed the knife and then I questioned him…. That was when I found out he… He was your stepfather. And that he wanted to wait for you there to… Attack you… The moment you returned home._

Olivia nodded briefly, staring somewhere behind Eugene, deep in thoughts.

-_He was planning on waiting for you in an ambush…. He wanted to hurt you. He said he used to hurt you when you were a child and that you deserved it… That you deserved every moment of it… Those words made me… Indescribably furious… My hand behaved on its own accord… I had never stabbed a man before in my life… I never had a reason to resort to violence… Even if people were harming me… Experimenting on me… I would hide… Cower in a corner and wait for it all to pass. But for you… I plucked up the courage and I did it for you. I don't even know where I found so much strength… So much determination… But… There you have it… After I did it, I ran away because I was afraid of what I had done. I was afraid of myself. And… I was secretly hoping he had survived._

-He… He is alive, yes. He is at hospital right now. Recovering from the wound. Eugene… You actually played a crucial part in solving the case. The man you attacked, my stepfather… His name is George Morant. He is the black market trafficker who was selling and distributing a very dangerous narcotic that could induce powerful hallucinations and even make people who ingest it commit suicide out of fear… It was a strong chemical substance… Our goal in the case was actually to discover who sold him the formula for the narcotic and who he was working with… It was really a great thing, having him in custody, being able to question him… To… Find a way to make him talk-she paused briefly, frowning after having recalled the method Peter used. -He said he was merely collaborating with the former Massive Dynamic employee who agreed to sell him the substance for money and that it was all…

-_The one who died couple of days ago? You told me the FBI had a reason to believe that he was murdered._

-Yes. Mark Young. First I tried calling Massive Dynamic but all the details they gave me over the phone were vague and insufficient which in turn only made me even more suspicious… Now Morant says Massive Dynamic had nothing to do with it. It was just Mark Young as an individual… They had a one-on-one deal… I am not sure if…

_-You know… No matter how beautiful and special you are to me… I have to disappoint you tonight, Olivia._

-Disappoint me about what?-one of her eyebrows shot high up in the air.

-_I didn't only come here to enjoy your lovely company._

-Oh? Are you seeing someone else?-she inquired teasingly.

-_No-_he embraced her firmly, placing her head onto his chest, not allowing her to move. –_I'm here on business as well. A certain lovely blond lady had asked me to do a favor for her. "I just need you to follow executive director and chief operating officer at Massive Dynamic. I will take care of the documents, I'll get a court order." Remember that?_

-You followed Nina Sharp? For real? You… Tried to overhear the conversations she might have had with her staff and friends, colleagues?

-_I have._

-And?-Olivia's voice was burning with impatience. –What have you found out? Is… Is what George Morant had just told us the truth?

-_It is._

-So… So Massive Dynamic wasn't involved at all?-Olivia even sounded slightly disappointed as her shoulders sagged.

-_No. Well, at least not in this case. She was actually genuinely surprised when she found out Mark Young was really murdered like you suspected. She said she sincerely believed it was a suicide. That the man simply succumbed to the stress of his responsibilities… Because of the nature of their work…_

-That's what she told me on the very first interrogation day. But I didn't believe her-Olivia seemed pensive. –So it turns out Nina Sharp really was telling the truth and Massive Dynamic had nothing to do with the internal deal Young and Morant had. Then the case is practically solved since one of the two main culprits is dead and another one is going to jail for a long long time, what with the evidence that has piled up against him, thus also ridding me of the ghost of my past… It just… Seems to easy to be true. Just out of curiosity… Who was she talking to when you overheard her?-Olivia added inquisitively and then appeared baffled when Eugene chuckled throatily.

-_To your boss._

_-_To Broyles? But… You mean… Here in Boston? In Boston Massive Dynamic offices? I thought he was in New York with Charlie.

-_Agent Francis is in New York but… Broyles isn't. He is here in Boston._

-I don't understand. Why lie to your own employees? Unless you have something to hide.

-_He does._

-What?-Olivia exclaimed incredulously. –He… He is hiding something from FBI?

-_Something very private._

-What?-she whispered breathlessly.

-_A love affair-_Peter sniggered.

-Sorry, what?-Olivia seemed puzzled.

-_Broyles and Nina Sharp are maintaining a love affair. _

-That…-a mirthful chuckle escaped Olivia's lips and Peter melted observing that change on her face. –That can't be true!-she pouted like a child but at the same time he could see she wanted more details…

-_But it is… They were kissing and talking quite confidentially about this matter… They were actually both glad the case was solved._

-Kissing?-Olivia shook her head. –I just can't picture… You know…. Him and… Her… Kissing? That… That is just too funny… I would have never imagined… I mean… I knew he was divorced and all but… With Nina Sharp?

-_And yet it is the truth. I saw them with my own eyes. Just couple of hours ago, to be precise._

_-_And to think that… When I called him from the hospital tonight… I believed I was briefing him about the case because he was in another city… And there he was, in Boston the whole time… This is all just so… Unreal. Broyles keeping secrets from the team?

-_Well… At least you know for certain that the case is solved. No more lingering doubts about Massive Dynamic. The trafficking of this particular drug is stopped for now. Your stepfather is behind bars. And Broyles having a special someone is a good news, isn't it? Or you'd prefer him to be constantly alone and moody?_

-He is moody enough as it is-Olivia sniggered. –But yes. You're right, Eugene. I… I am actually happy for him. Sure. Why not? Oh, God, it's just so strange-she giggled out loud yet again and Peter couldn't control himself anymore, sensing a wave of tenderness wash over him as his innermost being immediately reacted to the contagious sound of her laughter.

His palms entangled in her hair and his lips gently touched Olivia's forehead.

Being Eugene… Was opening up a whole new, tender side in Peter… A side he was actually starting to enjoy.

Olivia's apartment…Her bedroom, really, was like a sanctuary where both of them could show their true selves and open up. He could be tender and sweet… Caring… And Olivia… Well… Olivia could forfeit her iron mask and allow him to please her…

Olivia let out a soft sound of pleasure and her hands slipped beneath his shirt, seeking out bare skin, her palms warm as they smoothed over the muscles of his back.

Peter shivered and kissed her on the shoulder in return.

The feel of her, the smell of her…now when he finally had his hands on Olivia again he could barely control himself. He wanted her so badly. He wanted to forget… Michael Kelly. George Morant. Peter wanted to banish the beast within him.

Olivia's arms tightened around him, her hips pressing closer. She rubbed herself against his readily waiting erection and moaned.

Peter clasped the back of her neck, keeping her close with the clutch of his fingers. He heard the whimper that came from her and groaned inwardly at the sound. He hadn't felt this neediness in so long; the newness, the quick fall into clothes-tearing urgency. He wanted her under him, naked, with the still of the night surrounding them.

Peter took her to bed yet again. As he did countless times before. And he wondered sadly, as her sweet, soft body was swaying in his arms, how many more times they had left.

Once he safely placed her on a soft mattress, Peter's hands moved to her face, cupping the sides of her head. He stroked his palms over her hair then pulled at the clip holding her bun together, watching as the blonde strands loosened and tumbled to her shoulders. He threw the clip aside and sank his fingers into Olivia's hair, holding her close, dragging in a breath while he took in the view.

A deep ache lay beneath the lust as his gaze roamed over Olivia.

The window was still open. There was a mess on the floor from the ransacking. But the two lovers didn't seem to care.

Her nipples were puckered in the cool night air, her flesh full and firm. The way she looked up at him had him letting the breath out in a rush.

-_Olivia, if you had any idea how much_-he tried to laugh but it came out more like a tortured sound.

-I do-she said softly. -Touch me.

Peter cupped one of her breasts, watching as her eyes drifted closed. He rubbed her nipple with his thumb, her answering sigh encouraging an intense craving inside him.

His free hand slipped over her ribs to close around her other breast. He lifted and massaged her flesh, molding it beneath his palms. He thumbed her nipples, watching as her teeth bit into her lower lip to stifle a moan. Jealously imagining what it would feel like to kiss Olivia. Wondering if he ever will.

He moved his hands to her waist to steady himself. Her bare breasts plastered against his chest, the sensual feel of her sending his pulse tripping.

Peter wanted—needed—to be inside her; the way her hips ground against his told him she longed for the same thing. That physical connection was… Utterly necessary to pull them apart from the horrors they'd both just been through.

His mouth remained connected with Olivia's nipple while she slipped her hands between their bodies, dipping them inside the elastic waistband of his shorts.

His hunger for her only grew more intense.

She used her other hand to push his shorts down and expose his cock. He felt her warm hand against his skin, caressing the hard length of him with tender, exploratory touches. Peter swore silently at the pleasure the simple caresses gave him.

They spent the next few moments frolicking gently on the bed, teasing and arousing each other, until Olivia finally said in a breathless voice:

-I want you inside me so much… Eugene… But first there's just something else I have to do-she added naughtily. –A little token of gratitude… For having saved my life.

Before Peter could wonder what she had in mind, Olivia shoved his shorts so they dropped to his ankles. She gave him a gentle push, a smile lifting the corner of her mouth as he was now lying on his back, Olivia straddling him. He drank in the erotic vision of her, breasts bared, lips swollen, eyes shining in the dim light.

He'd never known need like this before.

She pushed his thighs apart and leaned in close.

He tucked his feet against hers, his gaze remaining on her as she took his hard shaft in hand. Olivia's mouth descended and he felt the sudden sensation of a warm, damp tongue.

Peter tipped his head back, letting out a harsh breath as relief travelled through him. He hadn't experienced this with her in a while and had almost forgotten what it felt like.

_The first time she did it… It was so cute and… Clumsy… When she made me promise I'd come more often._

Olivia kissed the tip of his cock then gave it one long lap with her tongue.

His heart thundered; he bent his head to watch her, completely immersed in the view.

Her heated breath whispered over him as she moved further down his shaft.

She tongued his balls, circling the sensitive globes with slow, wet licks as her hand smoothed up and down his shaft. Peter shuddered at the touch, his fingers tightening around her golden locks.

He felt as well as heard the moan that came from her.

When she finally returned to the head of his cock to take him into her mouth, the groan that left him was guttural.

He held back the initial impulse to start thrusting and tried to relax. He kept his attention on her, releasing a controlled breath as her mouth slid down the length of him.

_Fuck._

Peter could barely stand it, but he wanted more, so much more.

Olivia's lips glided back up to the top and she let out a long moan as she plunged again, taking him almost all the way in. His hands sank into her hair yet again, cupping the sides of her head.

He sighed as he watched her, noticing her eyes never strayed from his cock. She gave all her attention to the job at hand, working him over thoroughly with her warm, welcoming mouth. He found that even more erotic than the meshing of gazes he'd experienced with countless women in the past.

Olivia's touch made him feel like exploding, he wanted to thrust his cock between her lips until he spilled his cum on her tongue.

The soft moans that came from her just pushed him closer to the edge.

She continued sliding her mouth up and down his length, circling the head with her tongue, caressing his balls with her free hand.

Just as he'd reached the point where he was about ready to come, Olivia let him pop from her mouth with a wet smacking sound and stood up before him.

Peter groaned at the sudden loss and looked up at her, admiring Olivia's beauty.

Her hair was all rumpled and her lips puffy from the attention she'd given his cock. He saw the smile she tried to keep contained.

-_Olivia…_

He wrapped his hand around his cock and gave it a couple of slow pumps, desperate for her to finish what she'd started.

-_Come back. I'm dying here._

-Sorry about that-her smile grew wider as she whispered teasingly.

_Yeah. You're driving me crazy on purpose you little vixen._

Peter smiled and smoothed his palms over her bare skin, taking a few moments to appreciate the view. Goosebumps followed in the wake of his touch and arousal dampened her inner thighs. He slipped his hand between her legs and groaned at his discovery.

_So wet. _

A soft breath came from her, her hips pushing back further in offering.

He dipped two fingers inside her, sinking into her slick warmth. The breath she let out this time wasn't so quiet. His mouth twitched at her reaction. He plunged further, feeling the quick shudder that ran through her.

His cock pointed straight up, desperate for entry. He held back, gliding his fingers in and out of her until her hips lowered to deepen his touch.

When her sighs turned to moans and her legs began to tremble, he clasped her thigh to steady her and massaged her clit with the moist tips of his fingers.

Olivia jerked and cried out. Her palm clutched the back of the hand he'd rested on her thigh. She circled her hips, pressing down against the slippery glide of his fingers.

-Eugene…my God…I'm gonna come-she muttered.

-_That's why I am here for… To make you feel good… Relaxed… To ease your stress… Your nervousness…To make you feel needed… Cherished… Loved._

He leaned forward and kissed the smooth cheek of her ass, then took his hand from between her legs. She let out a low wail of protest, pushing back against him.

Her desperation had him torn between laughing at the humour in the situation and groaning at her need.

Peter gripped her hip and pulled her toward him, guiding his cock inside her with one quick thrust. Sudden heat enveloped him as she sat on his lap, fully impaled. The feel of her snug warmth clouded his other senses and he barely heard the long, raspy moan that tore from her.

-If you…if you stop again, Eugene, I'll have to pull my Glock out on you-she said breathlessly. -I don't want to, but I will.

Peter chuckled and resumed his attention on her clit, giving her vigorous rubs that had her jerking as he leaned back and thrust inside her. He then used his other hand to reach across her body and grip her breast.

His gaze travelled over her as he filled her with his cock; the view stole his breath. Olivia's legs were spread wide either side of his thighs, her bare breasts glowing in the moonlight, the night beyond creating a solid wall of darkness around them.

She turned her head and pleaded with her eyes for him to kiss her. Her mouth dropped open as she drew in air. Peter smiled sadly and pressed tip of his finger to her lips, continuing the firm side-to-side massaging motion on her clit with his other hand.

Her tongue searched out his, her soft moans building into helpless whimpers, but he eluded her mouth yet again.

-Eugene…

-_No_-his answer was firm albeit spoken in a shaky voice.

Her arms lifted, her hands cupping the back of his neck in an effort to lock his lips with hers and then she groaned in desperation when he skillfully evaded her yet again.

He felt her tremble beneath his moving fingers. Her muscles tightened around his cock. Peter thrust harder, rubbed faster.

She let out quick breaths through her nose while she kissed his neck

The sudden plunge of her tongue coincided with the lifting of her legs.

Pleasure took hold. Her body jolted, her knees pressing together above his thighs. She let out a moan and writhed on his cock. Her hips pushed down.

Her mouth turned greedy and took control. Peter felt the tremor that passed through Olivia. When she finally pulsed around him and pulled her lips from Peter's neck to release a strangled cry, he almost lost it too.

Peter moved his damp hand from between her legs and clasped her hip. He pushed her down to meet his hammering thrusts.

She leaned her head against his shoulder, letting out little moans that drove him crazy.

-I want it-Olivia said, gasping. -Your cum…Inside me…Now.

Peter swore. He pressed his mouth to her throat as he plunged into her. His breaths were harsh, his stomach tight with exertion. He clenched his eyes shut and held her hips down. He gripped her hard, thrusting a couple more times.

It built inside him, just out of reach, then—fucking…fuck—he came inside her, his cum spurting into her, his hips jerking with a force that left him shaking.

He heard Olivia cry out.

Peter groaned and slowed his thrusts, giving a few shallow pumps as he emptied himself completely in her wet warmth.

He leaned his head back and dragged in cold, fresh air.

_Jesus. _

His heart pounded.

His hands still clasped her bare flesh.

He stared up at the shimmering, joyful stars through Olivia's window, barely able to catch his breath.

Olivia pulled her arms from around his neck and smoothed her fingers over the back of his hands, turning her face toward him.

He lifted his head and placed a soft kiss on her breasts and then fell against the pillow.

-We nearly broke the bed, Eugene-she said, filling the silence.

He gave a husky laugh.

–_Yeah, I heard it creaking. I didn't know if it was going to hold out._

-I think we got lucky…in more ways than one. Maybe next time we should go make ourselves comfortable on the floor-she joked saucily.

-_Or in your bathroom again. Or… In your SUV. I'm all for experimenting._

Peter smiled seeing her shake her head and tilted Olivia's chin up with his fingers. He almost pressed his mouth to hers for a deep, thorough kiss but then he just eventually sighed, and wrapped his arms around her, giving her a squeeze.

He rested his chin on the top of her head and stared into the night sky.

Thinking back to his relationship with Tess, Peter realized now that everything with her had been difficult from the beginning.

With the benefit of hindsight he knew that should have set off alarm bells for him, but he hadn't been paying enough attention at the time. He'd also never expected it to turn into a long-term relationship.

Now, here with Olivia, it all felt different. Relaxed. Easy.

He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, wondering whether he might have finally been fortunate enough to find his perfect fit.

And unfortunate at the same time, for having double-crossed her.

_Oh it's so easy being Eugene, isn't it, Bishop? She gets mad at him but she eventually forgives him… Reconciliation sex for the win… _

_But when she gets mad at real you… You have a hard time getting closer to her…She feels nothing for you._

_Nothing. Well, it's not like I love her either… It's… _

He took a deep sigh trying not to think further about that.

_Just… Enjoy the moment Bishop… Just… Don't… Don't think about tomorrow. About… The future._

Olivia sensed Eugene's chest heave beneath her head and she felt secure, protected with him there.

She briefly wondered why he always chose to leave her after they made love. Why he always ran away from her. That night she needed him more than ever. She just needed a man who would stand by her… Be there for her… And this invisible man… Even though he technically wasn't there… Since she couldn't see him… He really was always there for her.

She opened up her mouth.

-Eugene. Stay. Can you stay?-those words resounded in Peter's head and provoked a deep ache in his heart. He waited with the reply pondering on how to reject her.

Peter wished he could. He was aware that Olivia didn't love Eugene. She just needed him. For company, for comfort, for sex. He was a surrogate for the real love she couldn't have.

But she didn't even need Peter for neither one of those three things. She probably still loved John.

Peter wished the goddamned serum would last forever.

Because the act Olivia fell for started to be a bit more than that, at least on his side.

And he wanted to be Eugene forever.

Till the cows come home. Just some invisible guy who lives with her and looks after her. Not her irritating, trouble-making, trouble-seeking colleague Peter Bishop, with daddy issues, shattered ego, cynical attitude towards life and a band of criminals on his heels.

-_I am sorry._

-Why?-he knew she was asking why he couldn't stay.

-_Olivia. Don't. It's complicated. You have known my terms all along from the beginning of..._-he didn't know what to call their relationship.

She chewed on her lower lip.

-I have-Olivia eventually acknowledged.

-_Let's… Let's just leave it at that, shall we?_

-Okay.

She was silent for several seconds and he briefly wondered if he had hurt her with his answer, when Olivia spoke up yet gain, changing the subject.

-Eugene. Have you… Have you thought about seeing Walter? It's been couple of weeks now… I know you've been trying to… Discover the cure for your malady for some time now but… To no avail. So… How about now… Asking for help from him? I have told you already I fully trust Walter Bishop. And you shouldn't doubt my word. I really… Care about you… I would like you to be… Like the rest of us. I would like you to fulfill your desire. It must have been all you've ever wanted since you were a child. And if someone can help you… It is him. I could ask him discreetly. No one else would have to know… I wouldn't say anything neither to his son nor to his lab assistant. What do you say?-she stopped her monologue waiting a bit anxiously for his reply.

Peter's mind was whirring.

_She really can't have casual sex, can she? She even started to care about Eugene. About the invisible weird experiment product guy who she didn't know at all. She trusts him. She wants to help him. It wasn't…. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Eugene was… Supposed to disappear and Peter… To resurface but now…_

-_Why do you trust me, Olivia_?-he blurted out all of a sudden, not replying to her question directly.

-I… I know you won't hurt me. Quite the opposite. After what happened tonight… I have a feeling you'd protect me from any harm that might befall me, Eugene. I feel very much… Invested in your life and I… I am sorry if I am crossing the line… I was just… Trying to help… I understand your reluctance as far as Walter is concerned but I… Trust Walter. So I was hoping you'd kind of… Trust in my judgment. I… Need you to be whole again. And I don't know why and I know that it might sound insane but… I feel like I've known you forever, Eugene-she didn't know what else to say.

Olivia thought it was hard to approach Eugene and sometimes the words didn't come out right from her mouth. Either she would say too much or she would say nothing at all.

_Don't you worry doll_-Peter thought._ Not as insane as the fact you've been sleeping with Peter Bishop. How ironic. I feel as if I were in a relationship with Olivia-by day I am her partner and her confidante, by night, I am her lover._

-_Olivia. I am not ready yet_-he replied somewhat coldly, trying to drive her away from that idealistic image of Eugene she was apparently beginning to develop in her mind. –_Don't… Please don't push me. _

-Sorry-she muttered sleepily, taken aback with his slightly too harsh rejection. –I didn't mean to… Just… Forget it, Eugene. Let's pretend we didn't have this conversation at all-were the last words she uttered in a somewhat disappointed tone, before her breathing deepened and before she fell asleep.

_She's apologizing to me. After me being such an asshole. After me pushing her away. Now that's… New. She doesn't know I… I have to… Because sooner or later Eugene will disappear forever. And she can't fall for him. She simply can't. It'll hurt her even more. _

_But what am I saying? Jealous of your alter ego much, Bishop?_

_How did… How did it all come to this?_-Peter wondered in the darkness, glancing on his wristwatch.

_Ten more minutes._

_Perfect time for self-pondering. _

_How? How, Bishop?_

_Here's how… You dumb ass._

_It began with lust. With her tight dark brown T-shirt and those boobs._

_It continued with her stripping in front of you and the awakening of your lust._

_Then you needed to have her. Thrill of a chase. _

_You made a stupid serum. In order to fuck Olivia._

_You did fuck her. You still are fucking her. But… _

_Somewhere along the way… _

Peter started recalling how he missed her when she flew away to Frankfurt to meet that pompous prick Lucas. The inevitable jealousy he felt when he heard her aroused voice on the phone and a romantic music sounding in the background.

_That asshole Lucas. I swear I wanted to rip his head off at that moment. I… I was imagining him fucking her hard. _

_But… Just couple of nights later…_

_I was the one who had her for the first time as Eugene and… I knew he didn't take her. _

_She was tight, sweet and only mine. I almost died… Barely escaped through her window, too_-he chuckled quietly recalling that occurrence.

_Like in a Latin-American soap opera._

_I thought I was simply annoyed at my prey being taken away in front of my eyes. _

_But I didn't realize it was actually something more…_

_No matter how lousy I felt… Olivia was always able to make me feel better. Just one word from her mouth would calm me down instantly. Would reinstate my inner balance. When I was furious at Walter because of that stupid photo album… She made those waves in my chest become calm sea again. And that wasn't the only time…_

_She was always there for me. Soothing me. Calming me down. _

_When we were at the mental institution. When Walter wasn't coming out of there. During my first altercation with Dr. Sumner._

_And it wasn't one sided either. I was so entuned to Olivia it scared me. I was… So sensitive to her state of mind. A sharp pain would jab me whenever she was sad… _

_I felt it when she cried because of Ben Stockton._

_That urge to assist her. To do whatever I can only to make her feel better._

_It annoyed me as hell. _

_Probably because I knew exactly what it meant._

_I was becoming all mellow… All ready to give a hand to a damsel in distress._

_And that was just the beginning._

_When I became Eugene, instead of just cold-bloodedly fucking her… Instead of it being just one-time thing… I asked for her permission to come back. _

_Damned be the day on which she granted it._

_She… The roots of her being nested in my heart. And they went deeper and deeper each time when I would visit her in the night._

Peter didn't understand himself anymore.

That most certainly wasn't how Peter Bishop would normally behave and he knew it.

He was aware of it all too well.

Peter hated the fact that he had started doing some things instinctively, rashly, rather than previously, cautiously, planning ahead.

And it just so happened that all those things were related to Olivia Dunham.

_Then… When I realized that. I was hoping it wasn't too late to step away. I even made up a plan to pull away from Olivia. When we solved the case and when we found little Ben Stockton… _

_There were no cases for two weeks. I distinctly remember that._

_Broyles gave Walter and me a new home._

_This home. _

_I was renovating it and I…_

_I foolishly thought I was over her._

_That I was getting back in shape._

_But then I had that dream about her… _

_Fluffy romantic dream._

_The very next day she came to see us with Astrid._

_I remember how my brain immediately froze._

_How I stuttered. _

_Like a fool._

_Like a teenager in love._

_That was when I realized how obsessed I actually was with her._

_When I understood that I am hooked._

_When we sat on the beach._

_When I was furious with Walter. _

_When she soothed me for the umpteenth time._

_I don't know how she did it but she did. _

_Like always._

_Because she is fucking perfect._

_Because I've never met a girl like her before._

_No one has ever affected me in such a way._

_Made me open up._

_She is…_

_Flawless. Lawful good._

_A princess._

_And me…_

_Well we know who I am._

_A scoundrel._

_But I definitely knew something deeper than casual sex was going on…_

_When…_

_When this case started._

_That was when it fully hit me smack on the head._

_I realized how much I…_

_Cared for her._

_It started with me worrying about her mental health._

_When she admitted that she started seeing John._

_And when I was more worried about her than… Jealous._

_And normally it would be other way around._

_I actually put my concern for her before my own emotions._

_Well fuck it._

_But that is not all Bishop. _

_That is not all._

_It was a tiny irrational snowball that started the avalanche._

_The two worst things that…Happened after that…_

_Clearly explained to me what the nature of my feelings for Special Agent Dunham really was. _

_When she went into that tank._

_I… I went crazy._

_I think I scared Astrid_-Peter chuckled quietly in the dark as he got up, kissed Olivia on the forehead and left her apartment.

He became visible in the hallway but luckily there was no one there to witness his materialization.

_No side effects this time. Good old sex._

Peter put his hands in his pockets as he was walking down the narrow streets, without glancing around. He let his feet lead him wherever they wanted to. He needed to clear out his mind.

It was midnight.

The thoughts about the nature of his feelings for Olivia wouldn't leave his mind and they went back to the tank scene.

_She scared me to death._

_I was reliving each and every one of her sad, painful memories as if it were my own. _

_I was worried like hell._

_I frightened Astrid when I lost my mind._

_I remember I slammed my fists on the table breaking some glass vials in the process._

_When I… _

_Thought I wouldn't see her again._

_Never again._

_How I freaked out._

_I… I even surprised myself._

_I had no idea I was capable of such a reaction._

_I was so relieved when Olivia resurfaced from her subconsciousness. _

_Alive and unharmed._

_And I was cursing myself for not being able to embrace her._

_I had no idea I could care for someone so deeply like that. _

_Again. _

_I thought I… I lost it… The ability to… Love._

_And here we are._

_You've said it._

_That's it, Bishop. _

_You feel for her. _

_Give it up. You might as well stop running and admit it to yourself._

_Love. Combo of lust, tenderness, care and mind-blowing sex._

_When a man reaches that point…_

_When you'd do anything for her._

_Be… Anyone whom she wants you to be._

_Okay. Here it goes._

_Loud and clear:_

_I am in love with Special Agent Olivia Dunham._

_There._

_It wasn't that hard._

_Or was it?_

_And then that happened. _

_Over a decade after the broken heart, Peter Bishop is fawning over a girl again._

_What's worse…_

_It will end just the same as it did then._

_I barely put the pieces together with the sellotape when Tess called it quits. _

_I guess I was kinda hoping that she'd choose me over Michael._

_But of course she didn't._

_I was never whole again. _

_I steered clear of love and love games._

_Fuck and be fucked was my motto._

_Feelings? _

_No thank you. I'll pass._

_But then…_

_Olivia's presence healed me, reinstated me._

_But when all this is over. _

_When Eugene ceases to exist… _

_When Olivia is left with no one but her moody partner she feels nothing for…_

_I'll burst into pieces all over again._

_And I don't know if I'll ever be able to become whole after that._

When he raised his eyes upwards, as the sudden bright light temporarily blinded him, Peter realized his feet had actually dragged him towards the bar he used to visit a lot way back when he was a teenager.

_It figures. A familiar place. To relax. To get drunk. _

_To try and forget today's mess._

_Stabbing Kelly. Stabbing Morant. Blood on my hands…_

_Olivia's scornful, despising gaze directed at Peter Bishop._

_Olivia in my arms._

_Or shall I say: Eugene's arms?_

_Fuck. _

_Fuck it all._

_What have I turned into?_

_A monster._

_A double crossing monster, Bishop._

_What you've always been._

_No surprises there._

_I need to become numb._

_To stop feeling for her._

_To stop feeling myself._

_To be someone else._

_Just for tonight._

Peter barely looked at the bartender when he sat on the stool, ordering a bottle of whiskey and downing couple of shots as rapidly as if he were drinking water.

He couldn't care less if he got drunk fast.

That was exactly what he wanted.

_Booze brings forgetfulness._

_Blissful forgetfulness._

The song that started playing at that moment made him chuckle bitterly and a single tear ran down his clean shaven cheek.

_Olivia… I never… I never wanted to do you wrong my angel…_

_Oh, no, I see_

_A spider web, it's tangled up with me,_

_And I lost my head,_

_The thought of all the stupid things I'd said,_

_Oh, no, what's this?_

_A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle,_

_So I turned to run,_

_The thought of all the stupid things I've done,_

_And I never meant to cause you trouble,_

_And I never meant to do you wrong,_

_And I, well, if I ever caused you trouble,_

_Oh no, I never meant to do you harm._

_Oh, no, I see_

_A spider web, and it's me in the middle,_

_So I twist and turn,_

_Here am I in my little bubble,_

_Singing out..._

_I never meant to cause you trouble,_

_And I never meant to do you wrong,_

_And I, well, if I ever caused you trouble,_

_Oh, no, I never meant to do you harm._

_They spun a web for me,_

_They spun a web for me,_

_They spun a web for me._

Whiskey tasted black and bitter like his soul and Peter barely managed to chug down yet another glass.

That was when he felt a pair of sort of anxious, sweaty palms cover his eyes.

-Guess who-the sensual, but worried voice Peter knew oh so very well whispered into his ear and he laughed quietly.

She spun him around on bar stool and dipped her tongue between his lips.

Peter tenderly reciprocated the kiss, more out of habit than anything else and pulled her closer, slowly, sadly.

-Tess. How did you find me?-a sense of dread lingered in his bones as he recalled the almost lifeless Kelly's form bleeding out on a white kitchen tiles.

-I… I don't know. Something brought me here tonight. How many have you had?-she motioned towards the glass.

-One too many.

-You look horrible.

-Last time when we saw each other, couple of days ago, I apparently looked older. Now I look horrible. Thank you for all the wonderful compliments.

-I can give you a different kind of compliment. And a proper "thank you". Michael… He… The wound you gave him this afternoon wasn't deep at all…I was frightened at first but then I realized he was fine. He didn't lose too much blood. He's wearing a bandage now. He's kinda furious but I am happy he got what he deserved. I… I never had strength to oppose him. Now I am just worried he… He might come after you… I came to warn you. He wants revenge, Peter. Just… Promise me you'll be careful… Beware from now on… And… Thank you for what you did for me.-she muttered again and placed her palm on Peter's crotch, massaging his cock and naughtily cupping his balls through the denim in front of all the people in the bar, grinning devilishly when she felt him stir quickly and readily beneath her hand.

Peter couldn't believe his mouth when the following words came out of them:

-Tess. I hope he'll be treating you better from now on. But… This… No. Not this time.

-Peter Bishop saying no to casual sex?-Tess shook her head incredulously. -Who is she?

Peter chuckled resentfully.

-Suffice to say… Someone I'll never deserve.

-Oh my God, you're serious? So there really is a special someone? I was just testing the waters. I… I can't believe it. You've never fallen in love for real, Peter. That would be so out of character as far as you are concerned. I think… Not even with me. You were just infatuated with what I represented but… You didn't really love the real me-she added in a low tone, sighing a little.

-Yeah… What do you know? I've finally figured out what poets have been in business about during the last two thousand years.-he drank down his whisky in one gulp and hid his head in his trembling hands.

-Oh come on, Peter. She must have fallen for you too. No one can resist you. Just be your charming and brooding self. It seems ladies dig that. There is no girl in the world you can't have.

-There is now.

-What could you've possibly done to land in disfavor with her?

-Lied… Made a spider web of tiny, intricate, perfectly interwoven lies and she believed them all, one after another.

-Well then that's a good thing-Tess smirked astutely. –As long as she believed in them.

-It is. For now. I just don't know why I feel like a piece of shit. When she finds out… And she will. I think she will… She'll never forgive me.

-Well then make sure she doesn't find out.

-I am. I am doing all possible so that she doesn't find out. But that still doesn't make me feel any better.

-Awww, you poor baby-Tess kissed him yet again and this time he didn't complain.

Peter returned the kiss with a desperate feverous passion longing for closeness… For female touch. He needed to be purified from within and… Tess… She could… She could make him feel better. Like booze. She could make him forget.

Seconds later, he felt a strong blow land on top of his head, separating them and he almost fainted from the pain.

As he looked in front of him, Peter saw the furious, livid, scarred face of Michael Kelly. He was still looking pale and weak and Peter discerned fresh bandages that were wrapped around his stomach.

But he was not alone.

Kelly was surrounded with five thugs, some of which Peter actually recognized as former brothers in arms and he smirked before he could stop himself.

_I was never really good in these kind of situations. _

_Instead of shitting my pants and pleading for my life I… Laugh at the face of the danger. _

_Not to mention that I am drunk._

_Weak._

_Alone._

_On his territory._

_Impotent to defend myself._

_Stupid, Bishop. _

_Really stupid._

_But…_

_You know…_

_That is who you are._

_A reckless fool._

_I didn't even check if I was being followed._

-Tess, dear. Who would have thought that… Following my darling little girlfriend tonight will help me catch much bigger fish… Precisely the elusive one I have been looking for entire afternoon.

-Michael, don't… Please… No! Don't hurt him!-her voice became horrified as Tess tried to shield Peter with her body but a single blow from Kelly's fist sent her flying to the floor.

-I'll deal with you later at home, bitch. You'll get what's coming to you. Like you always have. Fucking him behind my back, eh? I'll teach you a lesson-Michael spat at Tess's face and she curled up in the corner.

Peter was seeing everything double by then. He couldn't move even if he wanted to. He couldn't speak. His tongue felt as if it were made of lead.

-Look… You guys…-the bartender started timidly but then promptly shut up when two of Kelly's thugs pulled guns out on him.

He ran towards the back room and never resurfaced.

Michael sent one thug after him in order to stop him from using his cell phone and calling the police.

People hurriedly began to leave the bar, understanding that something pretty bad was about to happen, and soon there was no one left inside except for drunken, leering Peter, crying Tess and six moody men, as Peter called them inwardly, grinning like a fool.

-You think this is funny, Bishop? You're stupider than I thought. Hold him, boys. It's a little payback time-Kelly ordered and Peter felt strong hands wrap around his arms.

First blow hit him square on the nose and he felt a warm streak of blood run down his face after Kelly's fist connected with his head.

-I won't use the knife on you, Bishop, like you did on me couple of hours ago, though I should… I should carve you up. I'll ruin your good looks instead. Pretty boy-Michael sneered.

The second one and the third one landed on Peter's stomach and he couldn't breathe for a while. Still he was somehow managing to stand upright…

But Peter eventually and promptly fell down the stool and onto the floor after Kelly's boot mercilessly punched him between his legs.

However, no sound came out of his mouth.

_I won't give him that satisfaction… I… I won't cry out. I won't. I can become a beaten bloodied mass but I won't… Cry out. _

-You see, Bishop… This is how it goes. My town, my rules. Or were you really so stupid to think that you could beat me up without consequences, Peter? You used to be part of the gang. You know how things work around here. Heck, after Old Tobby died, you could have replaced him as the gang boss but you weren't interested in that. You ran away with a tail between your legs, like a coward that you always were. Now I'm the one in charge. And if you mess with me… You mess with all of us. Offend the Alpha… You have offended the pack.

-Well what do you know? Little Mikey has grown up. You know all the rules straight from the book now, don't you? You don't pee in your pants anymore… You don't call for your momma to save your ass during the raid no longer.-Peter blurted out sarcastically and quite coherently in spite of the fact that he was spitting droplets of blood.

He glanced sideways at Tess who was now silently wailing on the floor, sounding as a newborn puppy, not daring to say a word.

_I thought I was helping her by threatening Kelly._

_By beating him up._

_But I was only doing more damage._

_To both of us._

_Reckless._

_Fuckin' reckless._

-Shut up, Bishop. Just this once. Shut your mouth. You never knew when to stop speaking. I see you still haven't learned your manners. Only someone like you would be that stupid to keep taunting even though you are at a disadvantage. Without anyone to help you out. Now you're alone on the other side of the law. At our mercy. Where is your pretty blond bitch when you need her most? No one's gonna save you, not even your precious little invisibility serum you apparently forgot to take again. This is a dead end. There is no escape for you now.

-I have no idea who you are talking about, Kelly-Peter feigned disinterest but Tess's eyes suddenly widened in understanding as she remembered Olivia. She said nothing.

-Oh come on-Kelly chuckled. -Who do you take me for? For a fool? You know bloody well who I am talking about, Peter. That FBI chick, your boss. Blond hair, good tits, permanent scowl glued onto her face. She has the air of Dominatrix about her. Or do you think we haven't noticed you've been visiting her place every evening? That's right Bishop. Me and my boys have been following you for quite a while now… Your activities were… Very interesting for my gang… So to speak… Not because of the hots you have for the chick you're fucking… But because of something completely different… But I am getting ahead of myself. All in due time, my former brother… All in due time… You see… I haven't tried so hard to find you tonight just so I could retaliate, break your nose and leave you impotent for baby-making… I sought you out because I wanted to talk to you about a business proposal. Now… The kind of offer I am going to make you… Will be the one you simply can't refuse. Well… Not if you want her alive, of course.

-Whom?-Peter whispered trying to speak as blood came out of his mouth as well. –The blond bitch? My boss? You think I care? You're blackmailing me with her safety? Really? I hate that slutty slave driver. I don't give a shit about her. I just bone her every now and then when I have a hard on and when I feel the need to empty my balls. She's the nearest one there is, so that's kinda convenient. Oh and I forgot to tell you. It must have slipped my mind. She looks a bit like Tess so that's a fucking bonus in my book.-he was swallowing hard when yet another vindictive blow landed on his back.

-You don't fool me, Bishop. We've been following you, loverboy. You go to her place every…single…night. You just can't get enough of her. We've found your Achilles heel. And you're a bad liar. You always were a bad liar when you were drunk.

Peter was seeing red and his entire body hurt.

_Olivia… I… They can't hurt you. But I… I am unable to protect you… I…_

He heard the sound of the bar door opening and Kelly's polite words directed at someone he couldn't see.

-Good evening, sir. This is the guy I've been telling you about. He has it.

-Him?-a surprised voice was heard and Peter tried to raise his head and see who was the man who was talking to Kelly but he couldn't.

-You know him? Well, it figures. He kinda collaborates with the FBI.

-Are you sure he has it?-the voice inquired harshly, demandingly. –I didn't strike a deal with you for nothing, Kelly. You promised me you would deliver.

-And I am. No lies, no cheating. My boys saw him use it dozens of times with their own eyes. I saw him use it this afternoon when he…-Michael growled… -Did this to me.

-What is it? How does it work? Is it exactly what I told you I needed?-the voice was positively anxious, impatient, eager for an explanation.

-Let me explain, seeing how Bishop… Can't really speak at the moment-Kelly sneered and Peter pricked up his ears, wondering what the hell they were talking about. -I believe that's something our smartass little scientist concocted in his father's laboratory. For what reasons… Beats me.

-How does it look like? What does it do?

-It's some kind of… Serum. You inject it and then you… Disappear. It's bloody awesome if you ask me.

-An invisibility serum?-the voice sounded disappointed. –You dragged me all the way out here for that? Haven't I specified exactly what I needed? No matter how astonishing that discovery is… I told you that I…

-Patience, sir, patience… You did well when you placed your trust in us. And your cash-Kelly snickered. –That is not all the serum does. You see… After you become invisible… You also become immaterial… And you can… Pass through solid objects. As if you were a ghost, so to speak.

-Are you sure?-the voice sounded exhilarated. –Are you completely certain? He was able to walk through solid, firm matter?

-Positive. This afternoon, when he did this to me… I was at my place. The door was locked. He entered by passing through them. Since he is visible now, I suppose that serum doesn't last forever… But for all the details and particularities… You will have to speak to a mastermind here… As soon as he regains his ability to talk, that is-the thugs around Michael cackled unpleasantly, laughing at the joke Peter considered to be of a very poor taste.

_Who the fuck is this guy?_

_Why the hell does he need my serum?_

_Oh well, Bishop. _

_You're using it to sleep with the lady that stole your heart._

_Dear, sentimental Bishop._

_Really now. _

_It hasn't occurred to me that the serum could be used in oh so many different ways. _

_People could do lots of stuff if they were invisible._

_Spy on others…_

_Steal… _

_And so on and so forth._

_I should have been more careful._

_I should have occasionally checked if I was being followed._

_Markham and Tess were right all along._

_But I guess I am paying the price for my recklessness now._

_Kelly has me in his grasp._

_He will now quaintly blackmail me with Olivia's life._

_Maybe even with Walter's life._

_And I will have to do his bidding._

_A little drunken fly has stumbled into a cunning spider web._

-Lift him up-the voice ordered. –Give him some water. I need to speak to him. I need to find out all I can about the serum and the ways it can be used.

Peter felt strong hands pick him up from the floor and straighten him up.

His eyes hurt like hell. The light was bothering him. He was unsure if he was going to be able to open them up.

Peter was breathing rapidly through his mouth since his nose was filled with blood and it hurt like hell. He briefly wondered how he looked like and if his nose was actually broken. The pain was becoming almost unbearable.

He felt being placed into some kind of chair and then the voice demanded, closer to him then ever:

-Open your eyes. I need you to talk. Tell me. Is it true your serum does all they said it does?

-Sure. It even creates an illusion that you are in a room full of naked ladies. I am that good a scientist, you know-Peter sneered.

He supposed one of the thugs made a motion as if to hit him since the voice spoke up:

-Don't. I need him conscious-the voice said, irritated.

-But he…

-Let him bark. He won't bite. Because he can't.

_Whoever this guy is, he's got a point. _

_Oh well._

_At least there is a positive side in all this._

_No more broken bones._

_No more blood spilled._

_No more bruises and pain._

He slowly, cautiously opened his eyes, barely managing to discern the people around him and his jaw literally dropped when Peter found himself face to face with the man he saw last dying in the laboratory.

The man whose life he and Olivia saved with joined efforts.

Mitchell Loeb.


	23. A Deal

**-YOU-**Peter muttered incredulously, staring at the familiar face and at those motionless pale blue eyes that were now apparently studying him hard. –You're in cahoots with them? You're a mole in FBI's system? Well fuck my life.

He was genuinely surprised.

The cogs in his brain were whirring feverishly.

_I expected everything… Anything but this._

_Him. The man whose life we saved. _

_Broyles's best friend._

_He is the betrayer._

_But…_

_Why?_

_Why is he collaborating with a simple gang of thugs?_

_And why the fuck does he need my serum?_

_He could have… He could have just told Broyles… _

_And Broyles would ask Walter to make something like that for him if he could…_

_For the needs of the Bureau._

_Unless…_

_Loeb needs it for an entirely different reason that has nothing to do with the FBI._

An icy fear nested in his chest as Peter pondered what to do, what to say next.

-Now, now, Mr. Bishop. Don't be rash-Loeb finally spoke up with a self satisfied smug on his face. –First… Let me thank you for having saved my life. I didn't really get the chance to do it in person.

-Is this the moment when I should say "You're welcome"? Because I sure as hell don't really feel like saying it-Peter muttered, closing his eyes yet again.

_It's easier like this._

_When I am not looking…_

_The pain under my eyelids isn't as intense._

_The light isn't bothering my pupils so much._

-I comprehend you, of course…You must be very disappointed. And surprised, surely. But perhaps you would like to know I am equally astonished. I really didn't expect to see you here. But… As it appears… The Bishop family is apparently always connected with… Hmm… Let's just say… Events that require my immediate attention and resolution. The plan I am currently working on… Actually… I'll admit it to you, why not… It would have never worked out if there hadn't been for your father… And… You. Who would have thought you had it in you, Mr. Bishop? I always saw you as… Well… I won't pretend that I know a lot about the work you are currently doing for Fringe division since my dear old friend Broyles is keeping it all top secret… But I will say this. I have always envisioned you more as… A babysitter and a sidekick. I had no idea you could play with multicolored vials as well. You probably inherited the talent from your father. He's a brilliant chemist as well.

-What kind of a plan?-Peter whispered barely audibly as he swayed in a chair.

-Should I tell you or… Not? Sure. I'll tell you. It can do no harm. Since you are now part of it. Welcome to the other side of the law again, Mr. Bishop. It will be nice cooperating with you. If you do cooperate that is. If not… Well… You've heard Mr. Kelly. Agent Dunham just might stumble upon… Unexpected… Obstacles during one of her cases and she will simply… Disappear. Or get shot.

Peter gritted his teeth.

-How low can you sink? You… You are betraying your own… Country and…

-You know nothing, Mr. Bishop. I am actually… On the right side.

-On the right side of what?

-Oh. I completely forgot you have no idea who the two sides are in this war we're leading.

-North and South?-Peter muttered snarkily.

He was exhausted. He was dejected. He felt helpless. And he was very well aware that the blackmail Kelly and Loeb were waving in front of his nose… Was going to work.

-Witty, aren't you? You're not completely wrong, though… The two sides who are at war are very… Similar… Shall we say… Yes… Similar if not identical. I'll put it like that. But only one side can win.

-And rule over another, right?-Peter joked yet again even though he had no idea what Loeb was talking about.

-Hmm… "Rule" isn't quite the word I'd choose but… "Control", "Maintain the balance"… Yes.

-And now you are trying to convince me you're working for "our side"? If that is the case, why collaborate with street gang?

-I have only one word for you. Machiavelli.

-"The goal justifies the means"? Really? You sound like a comic book villain, Mr. Loeb. What exactly is your goal, pray tell? While we're at it?

-In order to fight… We need a general. A commander. The man who… Knows what the war will be like. Who can give us instructions.

-A leader?-Peter inquired.

It all sounded like a bunch of delusional gibberish to him but still he wanted to obtain as much information as he could get.

_If I ever manage to turn the tables on this situation and if I don't get myself and others killed… I can actually use whatever he tells me now… Against him._

-Exactly.

-I… Am not really up for such stuff, you know. Thanks, but no thanks.

-You thought I meant you? Oh, no, no, no, Mr. Bishop. You… Are a simple drone that will do our bidding while he is needed and then we'll decide what to do with you since you already know too much. You see… Our leader… Is imprisoned.

-How quaint. A criminal.

-Call him what you will but… This world needs him if we want to be the ones to prevail.

-How dramatic. So… You want to break him out of the jail, is that it? That why you need a serum? You make the guy invisible and he passes through the iron bars as if they were non-existent? Then he walks out in the street and… Voila! He's free to go.

-It's not that simple.

-Oh, let me guess… He is imprisoned on a planet Krypton, isn't he?

-No, he's not that far away… But he _is_ in another country. Lamentably, as Mr. Kelly here tells me… Your invisibility serum has a limited duration.

-Yep. One hour, give or take few minutes. I have never actually tried it out on anyone else except on myself. So I would be careful if I were you. It's an unstable concoction and it also has some rather unpleasant side effects-Peter knew there was no point in lying and avoiding collaboration.

-What kind of side effects?

-Oh well, you know, the usual stuff… You become overtly horny and you get a sudden urge to whistle all day long.

-Do not mock me, Mr. Bishop. Do you need a reminder of… A sorts? To behave properly?

Peter knew very well Loeb might just as well order the thugs to hit him again and that wasn't what he wanted at all.

Not after the intense pain he was feeling.

-The side effects are…-he coughed up some more blood. –Intense headache and stomachache, desire to vomit… Excessive hunger. You'd better have some painkillers and snacks ready for your people. And be careful… Whatever you're doing while you're using the serum… Stop the operation after 50 minutes or so just in case… To avoid them materializing in the middle of action.

-Thank you for the copious, excessive and useful information. I… Appreciate your collaboration very much-he leered. -Another thing-Loeb's eyes glittered somewhat greedily. –Now that you're reiterating the fact about the serum's duration… It came across my mind… Do you think you would be able to… Concoct the serum for permanent invisibility?

-No-Peter replied hastily and honestly. –I got the formula from Walter's old files. Not unless you want him to work on it too. But it could take… Weeks. Maybe even months.

-I really don't have that kind of time. And I don't want anyone else involved. I should have known. It wasn't your original idea after all. It figures. The FBI file we have on you seemingly correctly describes you as a failure. Oh well. At least you have managed one thing-to faithfully reproduce your father's formula. I am not interested in reasons for which you did it. It suffices to know that the serum exists. And that lamentably, I have to resort to my original plan which is… Going to take longer but… It will eventually work.

-What was your original plan?-Peter dared to ask, hoping to get more info on the subject.

-Do you believe in teleportation, Mr. Bishop?

-Oh yes. Teleportation. The so called Apparition. Three D's: Destination, Determination, Deliberation. The elements that need to be fulfilled for a successful instant flight from one place to another.

-Sorry?-Loeb was puzzled for a second.

-Nothing. I guess you aren't a fan of "Harry Potter" books-Peter muttered, his eyes still firmly closed.

-A work of fiction for children, am I right?

-For children and for those imaginative, creative adults that still feel like kids.

-Well, the teleportation device I am talking about is very much real Mr. Bishop. It has already been made.

-And your guy could just… Zap himself out of prison? By using it?

-Yes-Loeb smirked.

-Cool stuff. So why do you need me then?-Peter wanted less and less to be a part of it all.

-You see… The maker of the device dismantled it and hid it… In different safety deposit boxes. Dispersed in banks all around USA. He didn't want it to be used.

Peter understood now.

-So you need to…Rob those banks and get… The parts of the teleportation device… Then put them together and make it work? Presuming that it even used to work in the first place, way back when?

-Exactly.

-You and/or the robbers that will be helping you…Need to be able to become invisible and to pass through solid matter so that you could enter the safe.

-Now we understand each other.

-To cut the long story short…-Peter sighed. –You need my serum to help you with a simple bank robbery. Couple of bank robberies, to be precise.

-Lamentably, yes. I was hoping the equation little Ben Stockton-whom I sure you remember very well-had resolved during his captivity was going to do the trick but… It didn't. I have to admit that I was becoming quite desperate.

-You…-Peter muttered incredulously. –You were working with Joanne Trotter? Or whatever her real name was? You… You were making her kidnap smart people and even an innocent kid so that she could solve that equation for you?

-Yes-Loeb chuckled… -The equation was actually supposed to be able to do what your serum does… To allow human body or… One solid matter to pass through another solid matter for a determined amount of time. But for some reason… No matter how many people she abducted… No matter what methods she had used… None of them worked. None of the abductees was able to solve the equation. So I just stopped… Using her services. She was no longer of use to me.

Peter winced imagining lifeless body of Joanne Trotter lying somewhere several feet below the ground, rotting and decomposing.

-I was really becoming desperate, I have to tell you that…-Loeb added.

-Yeah, I take it your boss wasn't satisfied with the results… Since there were none-Peter sniggered giving himself at least that small satisfaction.

-You're right. He wasn't satisfied at all. But luckily… I have my connections… And Mr. Kelly here… He told me he knew just the thing I needed. And I am glad he didn't lie. You and your gang will be handsomely rewarded as I promised-Loeb turned towards Michael.

-It was nice doing business with you-Kelly said in a solemn, albeit slightly mocking tone of voice.

-I still might need your services… So we'll be in touch-Loeb apparently stood up since Peter heard the sound of the chair screeching. –And Mr. Bishop… I am going to need twelve dosages of your serum. Or… Else.

_I have around 15 left in total. Crap. So I have to give twelve to him? So that he can free some whacko from a well guarded prison? Who is the man Loeb wants to release so desperately?_

-Fine. I… I keep it in a laboratory… Basement… Harvard university… Kresge building. In the back room. It's in a blue box… Behind… Behind a family photo album. There are several syringes wrapped up in old newspapers.-he muttered meekly, obediently, Olivia's face swimming in front of his eyes all the time.

-Do you happen to have the spare key about you… That's right...There is a good lad-Loeb actually patted him on the shoulder as Peter helplessly handed him the lab key. –Don't worry… I shall leave everything intact. No one will suspect that I was even in there. Give him a ride home now, boys. And don't damage him too much. He deserves to be treated with care. He was cooperative after all. We have struck a deal. Haven't we, Bishop?

There was nothing left for Peter to do but to nod.

-Yes. We have a deal.

-Pity, that-Kelly leered. –But orders are orders, Bishop. We can't beat you up again. We're pals now, working together and all that… Welcome home, comrade.

-Wish I could say: "It's good to be home", but I can't-Peter whispered weakly.

-Don't worry. It's not required of you to exchange empty pleasantries with us-Michael said coldly as soon as the door of the bar closed behind Loeb. –And I know just the person to take you home. My dear beloved girlfriend. Me and the boys have other things to do. Tess, darling… Would you be so kind so as to drive your loverboy to his beach house?

-I…-Tess spoke for the first time in half an hour and Peter hated the obedient, sweetened tone of voice she had used. It made him feel sick.–Of course… I will do it right away.

-Good. When you drop him off… Come straight home. Don't wander away… Cause I'll know. And you know what will happen to you if you don't behave like a good girl that you are-his voice obtained harsh, metallic tinge and all Peter could hear next was Tess's quiet, frightened, affirmative sob.

**THE RIDE **to the beach house was quiet.

Peter actually felt better, now that he was curled up in a ball on the back seat, just lying there in silence and in darkness.

He just wanted to be home. To sleep in his own bed. To forget the horror he had just witnessed. The horror he had become a part of.

He was actually thankful that Tess hadn't spoken a word. He wondered if she had been angry with him.

_She would have every right to be. I brought both of us into this mess. Her relationship with Kelly will only become worse now. And I… Well I am a criminal again. And I will have to lie to Olivia. And to my father._

_Well fuck._

After half an hour or so the car stopped.

Peter heard Tess come out of the vehicle.

Then she helped him get out as well.

As they were nearing the house entrance, he muttered through swollen lips.

-Tess. Stop.

She halted immediately.

-I can… I can hear voices from inside my place… Is the light on?

-Yes-she whispered barely audibly.

-I don't get it. Maybe they… They've come to threaten Walter as well?

-No. It's… Olivia, isn't it?

-Olivia?-he muttered. –She is in my house?

-Yes… The hot blonde I met in the laboratory? I can see her standing in your living room with your father.

-She's talking to Walter?

-Yes.

-Now. At two in the morning? I thought she was sound asleep in her bed by now. At least that's how I left her.

-So… It… It was true what Michael said, wasn't it? That you are sleeping with her every night?

-Yes-he admitted.

_No point in lying anymore, is there?_

-Is she… The girl you were talking about earlier in the bar?

-Yes-his shoulders sagged.

-But you two… You don't… Behave like lovers at all.

-Listen, Tess… The… The serum I made… I… I made it precisely because I… I wanted to… Sleep with her-Peter found that it was harder and harder for him to talk.

-What?

-It… It doesn't matter now anymore but… I'll tell you anyway… You'll actually be the first one to find out… Like in good old days… My best friend. When… When I sleep with Olivia… She really thinks I am someone else.

-Peter… I can't believe you did that. She… If she finds out… If I were her… I would kill you.

-I know.

-But what kind of relationship does she have with the "real" you?

-The worst kind imaginable. Boss-employee. And I am not exactly her favorite employee either.

-That is insane.

-Tell me about it.

-Why did you make me stop?

-I… We will have to lie. So the stories have to match. We'll tell Walter… And Olivia… Apparently… That we were in a bar together. Drinking, making out, having a good time. There was a bar fight… I protected you but I got beaten up instead.

- So it's like a good back up story. It's not even that far from the truth...-Tess noticed sourly.

-No-Peter managed a small chuckle. –No it isn't. They… They mustn't know, Tess. That their lives are endangered. They mustn't suspect a thing.

-I am sorry, Peter. I think that... What happened tonight... Was entirely my fault. I practically led him to you.

-Hey. You heard them. They had it all planned out. If not today… They would have caught me tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. Kelly was keeping tabs on me because he accidentally found out I actually had something that interested Loeb. So the revenge he wanted on me… Helped him discover more interesting facts as he was following me. I am the one who should be sorry, Tess. Kelly did that to you because of me. And he might… he might keep doing it. Because I… Did what I did to him last afternoon.

-Once a monster always a monster. But I got used to it already. I know how to handle him, more or less. I know how to behave. So don't you worry about me. It's going to be just as it always was… Thank you for standing up for me nonetheless. It's really good to know there are still white knights out there Peter. And hey, at least you tried and that's gotta count for something-she embraced him firmly and they just stood there like two frightened, lost puppies, in front of the beach house, hugging each other desperately, seeking solace one in another, wondering what tomorrow would bring as the front door swung open and Olivia came out.

She stared at the couple surprisedly, and then she seemed somewhat taken aback when she recognized Peter and Tess.

They hastily pulled apart and as Olivia's gaze fell on Peter's face next she gasped in fright.

-Peter… You… What happened to you?

-Peter?-he could hear Walter's voice next, as his father emerged in nothing but his underwear. –Is that you, son? I was just getting ready for bed when Agent Dunham came to tell me something extraordinary-he promptly shut up under Olivia's angry stare realizing he shouldn't say anything else. –Oh. Who is the lovely young lady?

-Mr. Bishop. My name is Tess Amaral.-Tess smiled. –I don't believe you'd remember me. I used to go to school with Peter… I think we even met but it was just a month or two before you…-she didn't know how to proceed.

-Before I was institutionalized, dear?

-Yes.

-Pity, you're right. I really do not remember you. Are you one of Peter's high school friends he spends almost every night with?

-You could say that-she smiled mischievously carefully observing Olivia's reaction and the way her eyes briefly sized up Peter's rumpled shirt stained with her red lipstick.

_Peter would be glad to know she didn't seem indifferent after having heard this particular piece of information. Too bad he can't keep his eyes open._

_-_Well, come in, come in, don't just stand there…-Walter started saying in a hospitable, cheerful tone. -Oh-then he shut up abruptly when he noticed the way his son looked like. –But... Peter!

-Walter-Peter raised his arm in the air. –Spare me your ramblings, OK?

-But son...

-Just... Help Tess get me into the house... Ugh... I need to... Lie on the sofa in our living room for... For a little while... My head feels so sore...

-I can smell alcohol in the air-Walter said, puzzled.

-Yep. That would be me. Making out, drinking and partying all night long after the successfully solved case is my motto-he muttered, casting a sideways glance at Olivia, as if defying her to say something but he momentarily froze after having seen nothing but deep worry and kindheartedness mirrored in her light green eyes.

She wasn't saying anything but her gaze drifted upwards and downwards inspecting his bruised face and the blood on his shirt.

-What happened, son?-Walter inquired sadly, caressing Peter's hair.

-Nothing much... Tess and I were drinking in a bar, having a good time, when some thugs started bugging her... I told them to get their paws of my gal but I didn't realize there were five of them. I always was a little rash.

-Yes-Tess confirmed, kneeling next to Peter and giving him a firm hug. –Thank you for defending me, darling. You were so brave.

_Darling?_

Olivia winced slightly at that tender exchange and then inwardly mentally chastised herself.

_This again? What is wrong with me?_

-I really have to be going now-Tess whispered apologetically, leaving Peter's side but not before she smacked him fully on the lips as if claiming the territory.

Olivia averted her gaze for a second and then she politely said goodbye to Tess, her eyes following the tall, attractive woman as she saw herself out of Peter and Walter's beach house.

When she glanced upon the sofa yet again, Peter was already semi-undressed.

Walter had quickly and skillfully removed his son's shoes, his peacoat and his shirt.

Olivia stared incredulously at the dark violet, huge bruises that seemed to be gingerly sprouting all over Peter's wide, slightly hairy chest by each second.

-Where else did they hit you, son?-Walter inquired quietly, calmly.

Olivia wondered why wasn't the mad scientist freaking out and acting all afraid.

And how often had this happened before? Peter coming home late at night... In an awful shape...

-The bastards almost broke my nose... Luckily it's not bleeding anymore... Then they kicked me in the chest several times and... Between my legs-Peter's face went beet red as he realized Walter was now rapidly unzipping his jeans, methodical and thorough in his inspection. Olivia blushed as well and turned around.

_Don't be so shy darling_-Peter smirked managing to open his eyes despite the swollen eyelids, gazing lovingly at her tall lean figure. _Nothing here you haven't seen before._

-Now where did I put that ointment... Agent Dunham?

-Yes-Olivia coughed up the response uncomfortably still not quite daring to turn around.

-Please go to the bathroom and look for a red bottle on the shelves... While I further inspect the extent of Peter's injuries...

-Okay-she said quietly, praying to God that Peter's pants were zipped up again when she came back.

Luckily, they were. He was now lying bare-chested, spread-eagled on the sofa, his breathing rapid and shallow, his head in Walter's lap. He looked like a sick little boy.

Seeing him beaten up like that... Made all the anger Olivia felt couple of hours ago dissipate into thin air. The only thing she could feel now was worry and strange... Tenderness...

Desire to look after him.

His eyelids fluttered abruptly when he heard Olivia reenter the room and those light blue pupils caressed her face for a split second.

Olivia found herself unable to stop returning his gaze so she stared and stared into those deep, mysterious ocean-like eyes, wondering if she would ever find out who he truly was... If she would ever unlock all the secrets that lay there in wait.

_Have I ever really known him? What had happened to Peter Bishop tonight?_

Too many details fit in perfectly and Olivia hadn't missed the frightened looks Peter and Tess had exchanged in front of the house.

_It was almost as if... What occurred to them this evening... Wasn't a one time thing._

She was thinking so hard she hadn't even realized she had been staring at Peter's chest as Walter was now copiously covering his bruises with ointment, not until he had let out a joyful snort and then Olivia frowned, focusing on Peter's face again, not wanting to give him that kind of satisfaction.

-Now-Walter rubbed his hands contently. –That should soothe the pain. I put the ointment on Peter's penis and on his chest... His face should be cleaned up as well...

-Walter!-they both exclaimed in unison, shaking their heads.

-What?-he replied calmly. –I am merely stating what has been done so far and what yet remains to be done. Seeing how I have been touching Peter's penis, I should better go and wash my hands before I clean up his face. Or I could let you do the honors, Agent Dunham-he smiled.

-Let me do what?-she whispered, horrified.

-Well obviously, you don't have to touch Peter's penis since I have already done that myself. And I can wash my own hands, thank you-Walter huffed indignantly and Peter wished he were invisible. –You could clean up Peter's face while I'm gone-he said, already heading towards the bathroom.

-Sure-Olivia agreed and sat next to him. Peter's eyes were closed yet again but he opened them to look at her worried face, paying special attention to her tender eyes and her full, moist lips she had just licked nervously as she inspected the bruises on his cheeks.

-Peter...

-Yes, boss?-he muttered sardonically.

-You look awful.

-Not worse than usual, I take it?-they both flashed a wide smile. –So... What do you say, Dunham? Do we call it a truce?

-What?-she barely remembered the argument they had had that evening at hospital, seeing him all beaten up like that. –Oh. Yes. For now. We call it a truce. It's a deal.

-It's a deal-Peter replied seriously and they shook hands officially as if they were being introduced to each other for the first time.

A small pause followed and then Peter spoke up yet again.

-Good. I didn't hire those thugs to beat me up in vain, then.

-Peter! How can you even think about joking like that?

-Hey! I'm dead serious here, milady. I knew I had to regain your confidence somehow so I figured you'd take pity on a poor bruised sod... It was all an act and you fell for it, Dunham.

-Peter...

He loved that sweet, desperate tone of voice in which Olivia was saying his name and which she had started to use so much lately with him; he winked at her disarmingly, making her burst into a carefree laughter.

-There. I made you laugh. That was what I always wanted, boss. You have been frowning ever since I was brought in here.

-What would you... What would you have me do, Peter?-she whispered tenderly. –Just look at you. You have bruises all over your neck... And there is so much dried blood on your face. It's wonder your nose hasn't been broken.

Her tender hand caressed his forehead tentatively and for the second Peter forgot how to breathe.

_Too... Too good. Too sweet. Olivia has never touched Eugene like that. Because I specifically forbade her to do it. But this... The way her cool little palm is stroking my face...This touch is more intimate then any we had ever shared before, even when we made love so many times. It... Takes away all the pain I feel right now... All the pain I have ever felt in my life._

-Yeah...-Peter found himself answering and he wondered briefly how was it that he managed to break up the trance he was in. –That's what usually occurs when you get beaten up in a bar fight-he uttered those last words incredibly silently, accommodating himself better and enjoying her tender strokes, wincing occasionally at the lashing bites of the alcohol.

-Enjoying yourself too much?-Olivia teased him. –I swear, you look like a giant cat, Peter. I half expect you to start purring in my lap.

-I am not far from it, actually... Woman's touch and Walter's touch... Well... Let's just say it's like Heaven and... Earth? No. I believe the word I was looking for is a Sewer.

Their eyes met yet again and they both gulped at the same time, feeling their pulse quicken.

-There-Olivia eventually muttered, still unable to remove her hand from his face for some time.

When she finally pulled apart and stood up, Peter felt strangely at a loss, as if some wondrous connection was broken.

-So...-he cleared his throat. –Do you think Walter has an obsessive-compulsive disorder?

-Why?-Olivia burst out laughing.

-He has been washing his hands for like... Ten minutes now.

-Oh-she blushed, biting on her lower lip yet again and he couldn't help but wonder for the umpteenth time what it would be like to kiss her. –I think your father... Would like you to settle down with me-she chuckled and Peter coughed in surprise.

-What? Oh, come on. Don't tell me he's been bugging you with that.

-Well... When we were on the plane to New York, while you were sound asleep... He told me... I quote: "If you are actually looking for a long-term partner whom you'd consider to procreate with… Might I recommend...You're exactly what my boy needs. Someone to see right through him."

-And there is nothing wrong about that at all!-Walter exclaimed showing up from nowhere and frightening them both in process.

-Walter! What gives! Don't creep up on people like that.

-It's not my fault you were so immersed one into another that you haven't even seen me coming-Walter smiled cunningly.

-Yeah... Save that excuse for someone else. Whatever. I... I could really use some sleep right now. The painkillers did me good, and so did the ointment. I should feel a lot better in the morning.

-Okay. I... I should get going now-Olivia nodded in son and father's general direction. –And... Walter... Please don't forget what we talked about. Thank you for telling me you'd consider... Doing me a favor I asked of you.

-Right. Let me just pretend for a moment I actually know what you two are talking about. I'll simply play along. Sure. Why not?

-Sorry... Peter. It's something between your father and me and I... I can't really tell you what it's about.

Walter nodded sternly as well and Peter knew that this one time he won't be able to get any info from his father.

_What could she possibly want from Walter so badly that she came to our place to talk to him about it at 2 a.m.?_

_Well... I guess I'll never find out._

_Top secret classified information coming right up, people._

-Yes, Olivia... I... I will think about what can be done and I will give you my answer this week without a doubt-Walter said mysteriously. -Now if you two youngsters will excuse me... I simply must defecate. I have been holding it inside for way too long. Goodbye, Agent Dunham. Sweet dreams. Toodle-oo!

-Thank you for sharing that wondrous information with us, Walter-Peter remarked sardonically, but his father had already turned his back on both of them, now running towards the general direction of the bathroom yet again. –And that was how the brightest mind of our day and age, ladies and gentleman-Peter said in a solemn tone of voice-was defeated by a strong bodily urge.

Olivia giggled yet again but then her face suddenly became serious as she bent towards Peter. The change in her expression surprised him immensely and he raised both of his eyebrows inquisitively waiting for her to speak up.

-Peter. Now that we're alone...

-I've always fantasized about you saying those words to me... But I did not expect you to look at me like that while doing it-he tried a lame joke but he promptly shut up sensing the serious conversation was about to ensue.

-If something is happening. If there's something wrong... I just want you to know that you can confide in me. In your father. We are here for you. You don't have to do everything on your own.

Peter opened up his mouth and then closed them.

_Damn that female intuition._

-Look, Olivia-he chuckled mirthfully, giving his best to sound relaxed. –This was a one time thing. I was making out with Tess and than this happened. Nothing else. I promise I'll steer clear from the bars in the future-he gave her a familiar, smug, lopsided grin and she smiled; however, seeing how the smile hadn't reached Olivia's eyes, deep inside, Peter knew he didn't manage to trick her.

_Don't push it. _

_Don't push it..._

_Just... Don't push it..._

-You're an awful liar, Peter Bishop.

_She pushed it._

_Not like I didn't know she would._

-Listen, doll. I know you didn't want to hear how I was suckling the tongue of my childhood friend, chugging down shots... And I am very much aware that you're jealous... But that's the whole truth, boss. There's nothing more to it.

-How dare you... But... Fine. At least now I know where we stand. I know how you want to play. And... I know how much you confide in me and in your father-she muttered, grabbing her jacket, heading towards the door.

-Olivia. I'm sorry. Okay. I'm sorry-Peter couldn't bear seeing her like that but he knew oh so very well he mustn't tell her a thing.

_She mustn't find out about Loeb... About... The serum... About what he is planning. _

_Because if they suspect she is onto them..._

_They will kill her._

_And I can't..._

_I won't let that happen._

_I just won't. Have her blood on my hands._

_I don't know what I would do with myself if Olivia... _

_If she weren't alive anymore._

_-_Dunham. I was joking. It wasn't a very good joke. I'll give you that. It's just... I don't know what to say to make you believe me. That's all there was. Nothing else happened.

She stopped in the middle of the room and looked at him for several long seconds, sternly, crossly, but with hurt in her eyes.

-Funny, Bishop. I was just about to say the same thing. I don't know what to say to make you believe me. Trust me... Confide in me. Apparently, I don't have the same level of clearance in your life as you have in mine. Okay. I can live with that. But if something terrible happens to you later just because you... You were silent and you didn't ask for help now... Don't come running to me. Is that a deal?

-It's a deal-Peter muttered angrily, defiantly, before he slumped back down on the sofa, watching her beautiful silhouette leave their house and all of a sudden feeling strangely alone and vulnerable.

_It's better like this. I am supposed to be alone in this._

_She.. She must never know. _

_That I have become a criminal again. _

_I am just doing this to protect you, you perfect, stubborn, human being._

_Because..._

_I love you, Olivia Dunham._

_And I'd do anything to keep you safe._

_Even..._

_Endanger our... Friendship... _

_Which has just begun to become something sweeter... Firmer..._

_Something more tender than I could ever hope for._

_But I would renounce all that._

_To save a life._


End file.
